50 Secrets of Magic Craftsmanship (Dover Fine Art, History of Art) - Softcover

Dali, Salvador

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0486271323 ISBN 13: 9780486271323

Publisher: Dover Publications Inc., 1992

Synopsis

Sensible artistic advice and lively personal anecdotes in rare important work by famed Surrealist. Filled with Dali's outrageous egotism and unconventional humor, insights into modern art and his own drawings in the margins.

About this title

About the Author

Immediately recognizable by his flamboyant waxed moustache, Salvatore Dalí (1904-89) ranks among the most popular of the Surrealists. Best remembered for the melting clocks of The Persistence of Memory, the Spanish painter also worked in theater, fashion, and photography.

From the Back Cover

For many, Salvador Dalí (1904-1989) represents the Surrealist painter par excellence, one whose work explored his own dream life, hallucinations, and fetishes in the process of objectifying the irrational elements of the unconscious. In this rare and important volume, the painter expresses (in his inimitably eccentric fashion) his ideas of what painting should be, expounds on what is good and bad painting, offers opinions on the merits of Vermeer, Picasso, Cézanne, and other artists, and expresses his thoughts on the history of painting.
In a blend of outrageous egotism and unconventional humor, Dalí presents 50 "secrets" for mastering the art of painting: "the secret of sleeping while awake," "the secret of the periods of carnal abstinence and indulgence to be observed by the painter," "the secret of the painter's pointed mustaches," "the secret of learning to paint before knowing how to draw," "the secret of the painter's marriage," "the secret of the reason why a great draughtsman should draw while completely naked," and many other Daliesque prescriptions for artistic success.
Illustrated with the artist's own drawings, this volume is a fascinating mixture of serious artistic advice, lively personal anecdotes, and academic craftsmanship. It is, according to the San Francisco Chronicle, "in lay-out and clarity of design . . . a remarkable work of art in itself." Especially esteemed for its insights into modern art, 50 Secrets of Magic Craftsmanship is indispensable reading for any student of Surrealism or 20th century painting.

Edition details

• Publisher: Dover Publications Inc.
• Publication date: 1992
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0486271323
• ISBN 13: 9780486271323
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 192