L’ermafrodito: A Monumental Vision from the Teatro-Museu Figueres
This rare lithograph, "L’ermafrodito," is a centerpiece of the 1974 "Temi Dal Surrealismo" (Themes of Surrealism) portfolio, a collection that represents one of Salvador Dalí’s most ambitious architectural collaborations. Originally conceived as part of the Les Vitraux (The Stained Glass) series, this work was designed to be part of a monumental stained-glass ceiling installation at the Teatro-Museu in Figueres. The installation, a massive screen of separate glass panels, was engineered to open and close, a Surrealist mechanical marvel that remains a legendary, if temperamental, feature of the museum today.
The creation of this suite was a sophisticated cooperative effort. The lithographs were developed based on 24 original gouaches that Salvador Dalí presented to Jacques Carpentier for printing and publication. This specific image belongs to the "Signs of Faith" subset, exploring the alchemical and mythological concept of the hermaphrodite as a symbol of cosmic balance and the union of opposites.
Technically, the work is a triumph of French printmaking. It was produced by the prestigious Grapholith studio in Paris and published by Ethis of Geneva (Carpentier’s own publishing house). This particular example is a highly desirable low number (5/250) from the European edition, printed on premium Arches paper. The lithograph captures the vibrant, crystalline colors and fluid, dreamlike linework that Dalí intended for his glass panels, offering the collector a tangible piece of the artist's most personal museum legacy.
- Portfolio: Temi Dal Surrealismo
- Medium: Lithograph
- Edition: 5/50 E.U.
- Signature: Hand Signed
- Page Size: 18½" x 25½"
- Paper Type: Arches
- Printer: Grapholith, Paris
- Publisher: Ethis, Geneva 1974 - 1976
- Reference: Field 74-5M, pp. 176-177