Salvador Dalí’s Christ of Saint John of the Cross focuses on how Dalí’s interest in catholic iconography became a part of his artistic identity during the 1950s. His interest in religion, specifically Catholicism stems from his experiences escaping to America from Spain during World War II in the 1940s. World War II was a destructive war that introduced atomic bombs to history. The horrors and fears from the destruction that would send Dalí on a journey that changed his artistic identity for the rest of his career.
Salvador Dalí’s Christ of Saint John of the Cross from 1951 depicts Christ during the crucifixion from an angled top view looking down on his body and towards a dark sky. With surrealist characteristics, the painting seems to be split into two halves of a composition; the top depicts Christ on the cross at a unique angle. The cross sits upon a vast black sky that slowly transforms into a partly cloudy red and yellow evening sky. The bottom of the painting holds a gorgeous landscape with red-yellow mountains in the distance that surrounds a dark blue body of water. At the bottom center section of the image, there is a tiny man and his golden wooden boat docked at land. However, the most noticeable aspect of the piece is Christ. His warm, realistic body greatly contrasts against the charcoal-black sky. Dalí depicted Jesus in the likeness of his real-life model[1]. His body can be broken down into two basic shapes, a triangle from his wingspan to his feet and a circle where his head is. Moreover, The color pallet and angle create a dramatic body language as the viewer can see how his muscles are straining while being nailed to the cross. The lighting creates a stark contrast of light and shadows that is similar to theater lighting. The overarching Christ on the cross hovering above the tiny man and his boat set a surrealist religious tone to the piece.
Although it has a strong religious tone, the scene is peaceful and dream-like because it is based on Dalí’s own visions of Christ. Dalí would experience a vision of Christ which would send him into a spiral that would lead him to a passionate study of Catholicism during the following decade.[1] In his words, “I had a ‘cosmic dream’ in which I saw this image in color…” This nucleus later took on a metaphysical sense; I considered it ‘the very unity of the universe,’ the Christ!”[2]
Dalí would be a part of a large group of artists whose work would be a reaction to the development of nuclear science. This reaction is in response to the violence of the 1940s and how the world developed the use of nuclear weapons. Dalí’s verbal response to the bombings was, “Many of the landscapes painted in this period express the great fear inspired in me by the announcement of that explosion.”[3] Dalí made an immediate response by creating a piece in 1945. Overall the aftermath of nuclear warfare would affect the art world by leading to the Nuclear Art movement.[4] Dalí would take a different approach with his Mystical Manifesto.[5] From the development of nuclear fission, he sought to combine scientific developments with the subject matter of traditional catholic iconography.[1] The painting holds elements of surrealism and no longer being a part of the movement, he also adapted the use of traditional techniques. With this approach, Dalí creates a happier ambiance within his pieces.
While the atomic bombing interested Dalí, this piece in particular shows the interest in using peace as a source of energy rather than nuclear energy.[2] It highlights how atomic science captured Dalí’s attention after Hiroshima along with the ideas of peaceful teachings of Christ.[3] This would set him apart from the apocalyptic views of his contemporaries in the Nuclear Art movement.[4] Ultimately, for this piece, the transformation of Christ from the physical world to the afterlife inspired this piece.[5]
It is an introduction to how Dalí wants to respond to the lasting effects of World War II through the use of religion. Although there are other aspects such as painting traditions, religious iconography defined his work during this era. The other aspects include the depictions of Christ, the use of landscapes, and the combination of the surrealist movement with traditional techniques. These aspects would connect all of his works. For example, Dalí was inspired by the painting The Crucifixion of Christ by Grüewald painted in 1515.[6] Both techniques and iconography from the Italian Renaissance artists would inspire his Nuclear mysticism.
It is shown in the depiction of Jesus who points the viewer in the direction of the peaceful background and the fisherman. The use of the background would be a central part of Dalí’s identity during this era. The background is of the view from his house in Port Lliat in Spain, which is important to know due to the emotional value it held to Dalí.[7] The same background and boat will be featured in numerous paintings over the next decade such as The Madonna of Port Lligate painted that same year. The calm waters and grand mountains pull the viewer in and they can imagine the serene sounds and smells of the environment. The landscape creates a dynamic of peace and simplicity versus the sacrifice of Christ being nailed on the cross. This shows the implication of Christ's sacrificing himself for both peace and the salvation of humanity.
Christ of Saint John on the Cross was painted in 1951, setting off a decade of an obsession with religion for Dalí in both his art and his personal life. During this decade, religious and scientific iconography would dominate his subject matter. The inspiration of past traditional values combined with the hope for a peaceful future. In his personal life, he would go as far as to renew his vows with his wife Gala in a cathedral.[8] It is important to be aware of this detail to see how Dalí separates his art from day-to-day life. Researchers and viewers will find that occasionally there is overlap. Ultimately, proving how much catholic iconography became a part of his identity during the 1950s.
[1] Taylor, Michael R. “God and the Atom: Salvador Dalí’s Mystical Manifesto and the Contested Origins of Nuclear Painting.” (The Dalí, 2016)
[2] Frisch, Patricia. An Alternative Paradigm to the Oppression of Nuclear War: Salvador Dalí’s Painting of Christ of St. John of the Cross, Cross Currents (New Rochelle, NY) 2014
[3] Taylor, Michael R. “God and the Atom: Salvador Dalí’s Mystical Manifesto and the Contested Origins of Nuclear Painting.” (The Dalí, 2016)
[4] ibid
[5] Frisch, Patricia. An Alternative Paradigm to the Oppression of Nuclear War: Salvador Dalí’s Painting of Christ of St. John of the Cross, Cross Currents (New Rochelle, NY) 2014
[6] Taylor, Michael R. “God and the Atom: Salvador Dalí’s Mystical Manifesto and the Contested Origins of Nuclear Painting.” (The Dalí, 2016)
[7] Pujol, David. La vida secreta de Portillagte: La Casa Salvador Dalí. Center of Audiovisual Studies. Gala-Salvador Dalí Foundation. 2017
[8] Eric Shanes, The Life and Masterworks of Salvador Dalí (Confidential Concepts, Worldwide, 1994) pg. 29
[1] Frisch, Patricia. An Alternative Paradigm to the Oppression of Nuclear War: Salvador Dalí’s Painting of Christ of St. John of the Cross, Cross Currents (New Rochelle, NY) 2014
[2] ibid
[3] Taylor, Michael R. “God and the Atom: Salvador Dalí’s Mystical Manifesto and the Contested Origins of Nuclear Painting.” (The Dalí, 2016)
[4] Taylor, Michael R. “God and the Atom: Salvador Dalí’s Mystical Manifesto and the Contested Origins of Nuclear Painting.” (The Dalí, 2016)
[5] Ibid
Image: Salvador Dalí, Christ of Saint John of the Cross, 1951, Oil on canvas, Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, Glasgow.
Bibliography
Gold, Mick. “Salvador Dalí: Christ of Saint John of the Cross” Directed by Mick Gold. 2006, BBC Video. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1237740/
Frisch, Patricia. An Alternative Paradigm to the Oppression of Nuclear War: Salvador Dalí’s Painting of Christ of St. John of the Cross, Cross Currents (New Rochelle, NY) 2014, Vo. 64. pg 111-115
Ruiz, Carme. Salvador Dalí and science. Beyond a mere curiosity. Center of Dalinian Studies. Gala-Salvador Dalí Foundation. 2010.
Shanes, Eric. The Life and Masterworks of Salvador Dalí, Confidential Concepts, Worldwide,
1994.
Taylor, Micheal R. God and the Atom: Salvador Dalí’s Mystical Manifesto and the Contested Origins of Nuclear Painting, The Dalí, 2016, https://thedali.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/proceedings-TAYLOR-en_edits_12.19.16_final.pdf.
Pujol, David. La vida secreta de Portillagte: La Casa Salvador Dalí. Center of Audiovisual Studies. Gala-Salvador Dalí Foundation. 2017.
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