The scandalous surrealist Salvador Dali had an unconventional view of absolutely everything: paintings, everyday life, acquaintances. He depicted people on his canvases, but in a special manner, characteristic only of him. One of these works was a small painting long titled “The Face of Mae West Used as a Surrealist Room.” If you look at her from a distance, the facial features of the Hollywood diva really become recognizable. 40 years later, the artist decided to turn his painting into reality and created a real room in his theater-museum.
Mae West was called Hollywood's first sex symbol. This actress openly exploited the theme of sex in her films, which is why she was very popular. The scandalous and sharp-tongued diva made the following statements: “I believe in censorship, I made a fortune from it,” “Is that a gun in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?” or “When I'm good, I'm very good. When I'm bad, I'm even better."
The painting “The Face of Mae West Used as a Surrealist Room” was painted in 1934-35. This was one of the author’s so-called “comic” works. 40 years later, the artist decided to make it a reality. The plan of Salvador Dali was realized by the architect Oscar Tusquets.
And indeed, the image of Mae West became an illusion room in the Dali Theater-Museum in the city of Figueres: the eyes are paintings, the nose is a fireplace, the curtains are the actress’s curls, and her plump lips are a bright sofa. It is worth noting that modern people still order such a sofa for their apartments.
The ceremonial presentation of the illusion room took place on September 28, 1974. In order for all the fragments to merge into a single image, you need to stand directly in the center in front of the installation.
“Mae West’s Face which May Be Used as a Surrealist apartment” is one of the famous works of the great Spanish painter Salvador Dali (1904-1989). “The Face of Mae West” is a “comic” work of the artist and is a painted room with an illusion design similar to a portrait of actress Mae West.
Later the painting was transformed into a real room.
The painting “The Face of Mae West” was painted in gouache on newsprint in 1934-35. Dimensions: 31 ? 17 cm. Currently located at the Art University in Chicago.
The painting is a surreal illusion. At first it may seem that this is an unusual portrait of a lady, but if you look closely, you can understand that the portrait of the lady is made up of interior items: lips - a red sofa, hair - curtains, eyes - two paintings, a snout - a fireplace.
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On the master’s personal website you can view his portfolio and contacts.
The idea of the painting was later embodied in the Dali Theater-Museum in the city of Figueres. The plan was implemented by the Catalan architect Oscar Tusquets under the direction of Salvador Dali himself.
The room, which is the face of Mae West, was opened to the public on September 28, 1974. It is possible to look at this room both from the very place where we can look at it in the picture, and to go inside to see what the fascinating illusion consists of.
Mae West (August 17, 1893 – November 22, 1980) was a recognizable American actress. One of the most scandalous celebrities of her time.
It is believed that it is she who owns the phrase: “Is this a gun in your pocket or are you easily glad to see me?”, and “While I am good, I am very good. While I’m not good, I’m even better.”
During her own acting career, she starred in 12 films, including “Night after Night”, “She Treated Him Unfairly”, “I Am No Angel”, “Beautiful Woman of the Nineties”, “My Little Gadget”, “Sextet” and others.
Painting by Salvador Dali "The Face of Mae West Used as a Surrealistic Room"
Mae West's face room based on a painting by Salvador Dali
Salvador Dali - Salvador Dali - A selection of paintings to music (RUS/ENG)
Mae West is an American actress, a sex symbol of the 20th century; many scandalous stories are associated with her name. The phrases she spoke often became aphorisms: “Is that a gun in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?” “My left foot is Christmas, my right foot is Easter, why don’t you come see me between these holidays? Her name is even included in the Guinness Book of Records as the performer of the longest sexual intercourse with her lover Ted for 15 hours, recorded by sexologist Dr. Vernon Coleman.
It was her face that was used by the equally scandalous artist Salvador Dali as a surreal room in 1935, depicted in the painting “The Face of Mae West.” He drew it on paper and his idea was translated into a real, life-size room.
Luxurious hair in the form of curtains frames the entrance to a spacious room, where on the back wall there are pictures in rich frames - eyes, an original bedside table - a nose with an ornate clock standing on it - is pushed up to the wall. You can even see the time on them. The lower half of the face is carefully selected planks for the floor of the room, in the middle of which is a soft red sofa - sensual lips in gold drapery. The neck is represented by three miniature steps leading to an unusual room. Nothing superfluous. Sheer perfection, beckoning to enjoy for a long time.
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Painting by Salvador Dali The Face of Mae West: description, biography of the artist, customer reviews, other works of the author. Large catalog of paintings by Salvador Dali on the website of the BigArtShop online store.
The BigArtShop online store presents a large catalog of paintings by the artist Salvador Dali. You can choose and buy your favorite reproductions of paintings by Salvador Dali on natural canvas.
Salvador Felipe Jacinto Dalí was born in Catalonia, in northeastern Spain. His talent for painting manifested itself at an early age. Already at the age of 4, he diligently tried to draw. His behavior was always marked by uncontrollable energy, frequent whims and hysterics.
Salvador Dali painted his first painting on a wooden board with oil paints when he was 10 years old. Dali sat all day long in a small room specially allocated to him, drawing pictures.
He received his first lessons in craftsmanship from Professor Joan Nunez, under whose guidance Dali’s talent took on real forms.
At the age of fifteen, Dali was expelled from the monastic school “for obscene behavior,” but was able to successfully pass the exams and enter the institute (as in Spain they called a school providing a completed secondary education).
From the age of 16, Dali began to express his thoughts on paper, and from that time literary creativity also became an integral part of his creative life.
In the early 20s, Dali became interested in the works of the futurists. The extravagant appearance of Dali himself amazed and shocked those around him.
He managed to graduate from the institute in 1921 with excellent grades. He then entered the Art Academy in Madrid.
In 1923, for violating discipline, he was suspended from the academy for a year. During this period, Dali's interest was focused on the work of Pablo Picasso.
In 1925, the first solo exhibition of Dali's works was organized at the Dalmau Gallery. This exhibition featured 27 paintings and 5 drawings by the emerging great genius.
The school of painting in which he studied gradually disillusioned him, and in 1926 Dali was expelled from the academy for his freethinking. In the same 1926, Salvador Dali went to Paris in search of something he liked. Having joined Andre Breton's group, he began to create his first surreal works.
At the beginning of 1929, the premiere of the film “Un Chien Andalou” took place, based on the script by Salvador Dali and Luis Buñuel. They wrote the script in just six days! In 1930, Salvador Dali's paintings began to bring him fame. The constant themes of his creations were destruction, decay, death, as well as the world of human sexual experiences (the influence of the books of Sigmund Freud).
In the early 30s, Salvador Dali entered into a political conflict with the surrealists. His admiration for Adolf Hitler and his monarchical inclinations ran counter to Breton's ideas. Dali broke with the surrealists after they accused him of counter-revolutionary activities.
In January 1931, the second film based on Dali’s script, “The Golden Age,” premiered in London.
In 1934, Dali married Elena Dyakonova, the former wife of the writer Paul Eluard. It was this woman (Gala) who became the muse and inspiration of the genius Dali for the rest of his life. The amazing thing about the Dali couple was that they felt and understood each other. Gala lived the life of Dali, and he, in turn, deified her and admired her.
In 1940, after the occupation in France, Dali left for the USA (California), where he opened a new workshop. It was there that the great genius wrote one of his best books, “The Secret Life of Salvador Dali, Written by Himself.”
In 1951, on the eve of the Cold War, Dali developed the theory of “atomic art,” published that same year in the Mystical Manifesto. Dali's goal is to convey to the viewer the idea of the constancy of spiritual existence even after the disappearance of matter. This idea was embodied in his painting “The Exploding Head of Raphael.” In 1953, a large exhibition of retrospective works by Salvador Dali was held in Rome. It featured 24 paintings, 27 drawings, 102 watercolors!
In 1959, Dali and Gala finally set up their home in Port Lligat. By that time, no one could doubt the genius of the great artist. His paintings were bought for huge sums of money by fans and lovers of luxury. The huge canvases painted by Dali in the 60s were valued at huge sums. Many millionaires considered it chic to have paintings by Salvador Dali in their collection.
At the end of the 60s, the relationship between Dali and Gala began to fade. And at Gala’s request, Dali was forced to buy her a castle, where she spent time, preferably in the company of young people.
In 1973, the Dali Museum opened in Figueres. This incomparable surreal creation still delights visitors to this day. The museum is a retrospective of the life of the great artist.
Closer to the 80s, Dali began to have health problems. Doctors suspected Dali had Parkinson's disease. This disease once became fatal for his father.
Gala died on June 10, 1982. Although their relationship by this time could not be called close, Dali perceived her death as a terrible blow.
By the end of 1983 his mood had improved slightly. He began to sometimes walk in the garden and began to paint pictures. But old age took precedence over a brilliant mind.
On August 30, 1984, a fire occurred in Dali's house, as a result of which Dali received burns to 18% of his skin.
By February 1985, Dali’s health had improved somewhat and he was able to give an interview to the largest Spanish newspaper.
But in November 1988, Dali was admitted to the clinic with a diagnosis of heart failure.
Salvador Dali's heart stopped on January 23, 1989. The body was embalmed at his request, and for a week he lay in state in his museum in Figueres. Thousands of people came to say goodbye to the great genius.
Salvador Dali was buried in the center of his museum under an unmarked slab.
The texture of the canvas, high-quality paints and large-format printing allow our reproductions of Salvador Dali to be as good as the original. The canvas will be stretched on a special stretcher, after which the painting can be framed in the baguette of your choice.
