New drawings, manuscripts and photographs to reveal Dalí?s insights

Barcelona (CNA).- The Gala-Salvador Dalí Foundation has added 19 new drawings, manuscripts and more than 26 unpublished photographs of the surrealist artist to its collection. These manuscripts, letters, drawings and sketches, some of which later became internationally recognized works of art, show that the Catalan surrealist genius was also a serious thinker. Some of these new additions are far from spectacular but they help to better understand the figure of Salvador Dalí and the origins of the Surrealist movement.

These documents may not be the Foundation's most expensive acquisitions, but they do have an enormous documentary value. The purchase of such original material forms part of the Foundation's plan to not only focus on Dalí's paintings but also to grasp an overall picture of him in order to understand his evolution as an artist. In this case, the Gala-Salvador Dalí Foundation has invested over 400,000 Euros to acquire 19 drawings, 24 manuscripts and 60 photographs of Dalí. Most sketches are drawings that the genius from L’Empordà made while preparing major works.

The Director of the Dalí Studies Centre, Montse Aguer, explained that the manuscripts and letters, bought at two auctions and through two private collections, will emphasize the role of Dalí in the reconstruction of surrealism. "The new material does not only have documentary value regarding Salvador Dalí, but also for surrealism in general", said Aguer. The collection includes an unfinished letter that Salvador Dalí wrote to the famous cinema director Luis Buñuel and also includes photographs that reveal Dalí’s 'bohemian' environment and his private life. There are also photos of Gala, a beach scene with Buñuel, as well as shots of Dalí at the beach holding a large crab.

These pieces will not be exhibited for the moment as they will be used to study the work and career of the Catalan artist. The Dalí Study Centre will be carrying out an in-depth analysis that will hopefully be made public early next year.

The Gala-Salvador Dalí Foundation is a private cultural institution created in 1983 on the orders of Dalí himself to promote, preserve and show the artist’s work in all its forms. The institution controls the 4 museums dedicated to Dalí, the most popular of which, the Teatre-Museu Dalí in Figueres, received over a million visitors last year.