Created by Salvador Dali between 1964 and 1967, the artwork titled “Licet tributum dare Caesari?” is a religious painting belonging to the Biblia Sacra series. This piece was executed in gouache and aligns with the Expressionism and Symbolism art movements.
The artwork presents a relatively loose and sketch-like composition. It features a prominent figure in the foreground, rendered in a wash of greenish hues that obscures much of the figure’s detail, giving it a ghostly or ethereal quality. The figure’s back is turned to the viewer, and it appears to be seated, draped in what could be interpreted as classical or biblical garments, suggesting the religious nature of the scene.
In stark contrast to the foreground figure, there’s a sketch of another figure in the background, done in a fine, almost ethereal pencil line. This secondary figure is rendered with more detail than the first, yet it is still quite delicate, contributing to a sense of otherworldliness and mystique characteristic of symbolic and expressionist works. The juxtaposition of the two figures might suggest a narrative or a tension between material and spiritual, substance and form, though the exact interpretation is left open to the viewer.
The overall composition is minimalistic, with a focus on the central figures. The use of light and shadow, as well as the choice of colors, serve to evoke emotion and introspection. Given the title and Dali’s known penchant for religious themes, it could depict a biblical scene related to the question of paying tribute to authority, which could be a reflection on civic duty versus spiritual obligations.
