Collection: Les Amours de Cassandre

Dalí Illustrates Pierre de Ronsard's 1552 classic, Les Amours de Cassandre

In "The loves of Cassandra", Salvador Dalí brings his surrealist vision to the romantic poetry of the French Renaissance writer Pierre de Ronsard. Illustrating these 16th-century sonnets about unrequited love, Dalí avoids simple storytelling in favor of dream-like imagery filled with desire. The etchings feature his signature style—melting forms, elongated limbs, and fluid figures—but are drawn with a delicate elegance to match the classic poems. The result is a unique mix of Renaissance romance and Dalí’s modern, psychological intensity.

Published in 1968 by Dalí's close friend and Fine Art publisher, Pierre Argillet, this portfolio features 18 original copperplate etchings (10 full page and 8 smaller vignettes.) Each is executed in drypoint and printed on tinted Vélin d'Arches in a limited edition extra suite in black ink, one of just 25 sets.