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10 unique facts about Dalí
1. Dalí & his brother
Salvador Felipe Jacinto Dalí y Domènech was born on May 11, 1904 in Figueres. He was named after his older brother, who died exactly 9 months earlier, and was constantly compared to him.
2. Chupa Chups
During economic downturns, Dalí knew how to make clever use of his commercial talent. In 1969, he was commissioned to create the logo for the famous lollipop brand Chupa Chups. He insisted that the logo, with cursive letters, be placed on top of the lollipop so that it would always be seen in its entirety.
3. The friends of Dalí
Salvador had famous friends and he felt good about this. He had contact with artists such as Pablo Picasso, Joan Miro and Sigmund Freud. But rock legends such as Elvis Presley and Alice Cooper were also part of his inner circle. Dalí was a big fan of John Lennon, and invited him to his home for lunch.
4. Dalí & Disney
In 1945 he met Walt Disney at a house party, a year later he made a short animated film with him; Destino. After financial setbacks, production came to a halt. Eventually, this 6-minute film was not released by the Walt Disney Company until 2003.
5. The love of his life
In 1932 Salvador went to Paris and in the city of love he met Elena Ivanovna Diakonova (aka Gala) 10 years older. She later became his wife, muse & manager and stayed together until she died in 1982. He was never able to come to terms with her death.
6. The Dalí cookbook
Salvador had an obsession with good food, and this is reflected in his work ; Basket of bread (1926) and Soft self-portrait with fried bacon (1941). He even compiled a cookbook (Les dîners de Gala) with collected grotesque and epicurean recipes for extravagant dinners he hosted with Gala.
There are some days when I think I'm going to die from an overdose of satisfaction - Salvador Dalí
7. Dominant Dalí
Salvador believed he was the savior of painting, and felt elevated above his contemporaries. A famous quote from him: I only want to be Salvador Dali and nothing else. He had a shocking and narcissistic personality, was dominant and not an everyman's friend.
8. Dalí & Hitler
Unlike most other artists, Hitler was obsessed with Dalí and painted him. One of his paintings initially looks like a landscape, but if you look closely, it is a photograph of Hitler. Just before World War II broke out, Dalí said: I often dreamed of Hitler as a woman.
I don't do drugs, I am drugs - Salvador Dalí
9. Dalí & Drugs
He said; I don't take drugs, I am drugs. Whether he really did not take drugs is not known, but the artistic scene at that time was known for it. In Surrealism, the subconscious was of great importance, and Dalí's work arouses suspicion among many that it was the result of a drug trip.
10. Dalí and his museum
In 1974, the Teatro Museo Dalí opened in Dalí's hometown of Figueres. Both his own works and works by artists he admired are on display here. On Jan. 23, 1989, Dalí died of cardiac arrest in the museum's Gala Tower in Figueres, where he lived for the last years of his life. He was buried here in a crypt under the stage.
Restaurant El Barroco in Cadaqués was Dalí's favorite!
He designed the logo in 1978 and loved coming there! The restaurant has a small patio and is in a hidden location in Cadaqués. And, of course, you can still eat delicious food here! Dali's favorites dishes: Catalan Lamb, steamed mussels and grilled lobster. The restaurant offers Lebanese, Mediterranean and Middle Eastern dishes. Reserve a table in advance on El Barroco 's website. Address: Carrer des Pla d'en Retalla, 2, 17488 Cadaqués
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