Salvador Dali’s artwork titled “Emissa voce magna expiravit (Mark 15:37)” dates from 1964 to 1967 and is a part of a series known as “The Biblia Sacra.” It falls within the realms of Abstract Expressionism and Symbolism as art movements and is categorized as a religious painting. This particular work is one interpretation in Dali’s expansive visual commentary on biblical themes.
The artwork presents an ethereal and somewhat abstract representation, consistent with the influence of Abstract Expressionism, where form and precision give way to emotion and subjective interpretation. The central focus appears to be an amorphous shape with a concentration of red at its core, surrounded by a grey to black gradation that fades into the lighter background. This central shape might be interpreted as symbolic of life or spiritual essence, given the painting’s religious context, perhaps representing the expiring breath referenced in the title, which itself refers to a verse from the Gospel of Mark describing the moment of Jesus’s death. The surrounding marks and mottled patterns contribute to a sense of turmoil or dissolution, which could complement the theme of mortality and transcendence. The overall effect is evocative rather than literal, inviting contemplation on the themes of life, death, and spirituality.
