SALVADOR DALI (Spanish, 1904-1989)
Christ of Saint John of the Cross (Cristo de San Juan de la Cruz)
Bronze, 308 x 120 x 122 cm (121 inches x 47.2 inches x 48 inches)
Ships in two pieces. One of 8 from a total edition of 12 bronzes (8 plus 4 proofs).
Original wax was created by Dali c. 1973/74 at a size of 31cm.
Edition certified by Robert Descharnes and accredited by Gala-Salvador Dali Foundation in Figueras, Spain.
Literature: Descharnes, Robert & Nicolas “Le Dur et le Mou” catalogue, pg. 168-169, Ref #427-429
This image of Saint John of the Cross, is without a doubt, the best known of all Dali’s religious works. The work was inspired by a drawing by Saint John of the Cross who experienced this rapturous vision of Christ and which is kept in the Monastery of the Incarnation in Avila [Spain]. Dali believed Saint John of the Cross to be “the greatest lyric exponent of this Spanish mysticism which I now bring back to life”.
“From far-off times, people have been and still are, afraid of the fallen head of Jesus dead. But this devotion, this fearful piety, is felt by the people only in its tragic and cruel reality, never in its holiness and greatness…. We can appreciate that every representation of Christ in the cross, emphasizes the blows, the bruises, the marks, the spears, the horrible muscular contractions…. There is not one Passion which depicts the God; they only show the man… This is because nobody can depict the fallen but victorious God, because there exists no human brain that can understand such great concept….” Garcia Lorca The Christs [1918]
Other exemplaires of the same edition (308cm) can be found as follows:
Exemplaire 1/8 Private Collection, France.
Exemplaire 2/8 Private Collection, USA.
Exemplaire 3/8 Private Collection, France.
Exemplaire 4/8 Private Collection, China.
Exemplaire 8/8 Soumaya Museum, Mexico.
