Salvador Dali (1904 – 1989) uses two of his hallmark symbols—iconic melting watches and insects, set against the Spanish coastline— to create “Soft Watch at the Moment of First Explosion,” a study of disintegration prompted by his dismay over the use of atomic weapons. With a personality as non-conformist as his artwork, Dali singlehandedly forged a Surrealistic style defined by virtuoso realism and bold, disturbingly dreamlike fantasy. Strongly influenced by Sigmund Freud’s theories regarding dreams and the subconscious, Dali expresses the deepest fears, hopes and frustrations of his era in a way that is uniquely his own.

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