Apparatus and Hand
Encyclopedia
Apparatus and Hand is a 1927 painting by Salvador Dalí
.
The painting currently resides at the Salvador Dalí Museum
in St. Petersburg
, Florida
. This work is on loan from the collection of Mr. and Mrs. A Reynolds Morse.
art showcases a geometric figure with a tumescent red hand protruding from its head. The figure is composed of cones and triangles. Surrounding the structure are ghostly images of nude female figures and torsos superimposed on a blue, watery dreamscape. This piece was done upon Dalí’s return from 9 months of military duty. It was during his military career that Dalí began experimenting with new subjects for his work. The “Apparatus” referred to in the title refers to the geometric figure which is structured much like the human form. The figure has analogues of human arms, legs, an eye, and a head. The triangular being is propped up on what appears to be a cane, which was a leitmotif in Dali's work representing the fragility of sleep.
The hand atop the figure's head is a reference to Onanism, which was a common theme in his work at the time. This period of Dalí's career is referred to as the Freudian Period. This was during the Avant-Garde movement which was heavily weighted on the writings of Freud.
The female images surrounding the geometric figure are representative of thoughts within the mind of the Apparatus. These images represent the delirious erotic thought processes of the artist, which was also a prevailing theme of his work.
To the left of the geometric man is an image of a donkey on its hind legs. The donkey is being consumed by a horde of flies which are attacking its belly. This is indicative of the decomposition of the creature. On the right of the structure is a classically posed female, which is set in contrast to the geometric simplicity of the center image.
Salvador Dalí
Salvador Domènec Felip Jacint Dalí i Domènech, Marquis de Púbol , commonly known as Salvador Dalí , was a prominent Spanish Catalan surrealist painter born in Figueres,Spain....
.
The painting currently resides at the Salvador Dalí Museum
Salvador Dalí Museum
The Salvador Dalí Museum in St. Petersburg, Florida, United States, houses the largest collection outside Europe of the works of the artist Salvador Dalí and is located on the Downtown St. Petersburg waterfront.-History:...
in St. Petersburg
St. Petersburg, Florida
St. Petersburg is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. It is known as a vacation destination for both American and foreign tourists. As of 2008, the population estimate by the U.S. Census Bureau is 245,314, making St...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. This work is on loan from the collection of Mr. and Mrs. A Reynolds Morse.
Description
This work of surrealisticSurrealism
Surrealism is a cultural movement that began in the early 1920s, and is best known for the visual artworks and writings of the group members....
art showcases a geometric figure with a tumescent red hand protruding from its head. The figure is composed of cones and triangles. Surrounding the structure are ghostly images of nude female figures and torsos superimposed on a blue, watery dreamscape. This piece was done upon Dalí’s return from 9 months of military duty. It was during his military career that Dalí began experimenting with new subjects for his work. The “Apparatus” referred to in the title refers to the geometric figure which is structured much like the human form. The figure has analogues of human arms, legs, an eye, and a head. The triangular being is propped up on what appears to be a cane, which was a leitmotif in Dali's work representing the fragility of sleep.
The hand atop the figure's head is a reference to Onanism, which was a common theme in his work at the time. This period of Dalí's career is referred to as the Freudian Period. This was during the Avant-Garde movement which was heavily weighted on the writings of Freud.
The female images surrounding the geometric figure are representative of thoughts within the mind of the Apparatus. These images represent the delirious erotic thought processes of the artist, which was also a prevailing theme of his work.
To the left of the geometric man is an image of a donkey on its hind legs. The donkey is being consumed by a horde of flies which are attacking its belly. This is indicative of the decomposition of the creature. On the right of the structure is a classically posed female, which is set in contrast to the geometric simplicity of the center image.
See also
- Salvador Dalí MuseumSalvador Dalí MuseumThe Salvador Dalí Museum in St. Petersburg, Florida, United States, houses the largest collection outside Europe of the works of the artist Salvador Dalí and is located on the Downtown St. Petersburg waterfront.-History:...
- SurrealismSurrealismSurrealism is a cultural movement that began in the early 1920s, and is best known for the visual artworks and writings of the group members....
- Salvador DalíSalvador DalíSalvador Domènec Felip Jacint Dalí i Domènech, Marquis de Púbol , commonly known as Salvador Dalí , was a prominent Spanish Catalan surrealist painter born in Figueres,Spain....
- List of works by Salvador Dali
- Museum of Modern ArtMuseum of Modern ArtThe Museum of Modern Art is an art museum in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, on 53rd Street, between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. It has been important in developing and collecting modernist art, and is often identified as the most influential museum of modern art in the world...