The artwork titled “Madrid. Drunk Man” was created by Salvador Dali in 1922, utilizing gouache, ink, and paper as mediums. Measuring 21 x 15 cm, this piece is associated with the Expressionism movement and is categorized as a cityscape genre. The artwork is currently held at the Dalí Theatre and Museum located in Figueres, Spain.
The artwork itself depicts an evocative city scene characterized by a monochrome palette with shades ranging from black to white. It portrays the irregular and angular forms of buildings, which create a disorienting and somewhat chaotic city environment. This abstraction seemingly reflects the inner turmoil or altered perception of a drunk man, hinted by the title. The heavy use of contrast and the somewhat unsettling composition serve to invoke feelings of dislocation or confusion, which are emotions that could be related to the state of inebriation. The simplified and deconstructed forms within the work, alongside the expressive line work, showcase the characteristics of the Expressionist movement which sought to convey emotional experience rather than physical reality.
