Temi dal Surrealismo

Temi dal Surrealismo from Les Vitraux at the Teatro-Museu in Figueras

The Temi dal Surrealismo portfolio, documented in the Albert Field Official Catalog of the Graphic Works of Salvador Dalí as 74-5 "Les Vitraux" (The Stained Glass Windows), stands as one of the most vibrant and comprehensive retrospectives of Dalí’s career. Published between 1974 and 1976, this suite of 24 lithographs captures the artist in a reflective period, revisiting the profound iconography that defined the Surrealist movement through a more mature, color-saturated lens. By this stage in his life, Dalí’s mastery was less about the shock of the new and more about the refinement of his personal mythology, distilled here into a "visual encyclopedia" of his most enduring obsessions.

Categorized as cooperative lithographs, a distinction that is vital for the serious collector. In this process, Dalí provided original gouaches or mixed-media compositions specifically designed to be translated onto the stone. Under his guidance, master lithographers captured the fluid brilliance of his brushwork, resulting in a suite that earns its French title, Les Vitraux, by mimicking the luminous, backlit quality of cathedral glass. The use of heavy, luxurious Arches paper further enhances the depth of the pigments, allowing the surrealist landscapes to pop with a clarity rarely seen in his earlier, more monochromatic etchings.

The 24 themes contained within the portfolio, ranging from the iconic melting watches and long-legged elephants to the more esoteric atomic angels and burning giraffes, serve as a final, definitive statement on the Dalínian world.