“Meditation on the Harp” is an oil on canvas artwork created by the renowned Surrealist artist Salvador Dali between 1932 and 1934. Measuring 67 by 47 centimeters, this symbolic painting reflects the quintessence of Surrealism and is currently housed in the Salvador Dali Museum located in St. Petersburg, Florida, United States.
The artwork presents a dreamlike scene characterized by Dali’s typical juxtaposition of incongruous objects and figures. In the foreground, a central figure is rendered in a blend of human and non-human features—suggesting a torso that transitions into the form of a musical harp, its strings exposed, standing on what appears to be a plinth. This main figure interacts with a second, more distinctly human figure that adopts a pose of what could be interpreted as either introspection or engagement with the central entity. This scene is set against an ambiguous background comprising a twilight sky with scattered clouds, a dark horizon, and the faint outline of buildings in the distance. The ground upon which the figures interact implies a desolate, flat terrain that enhances the sense of stillness and meditation proposed by the title.
Salvador Dali’s “Meditation on the Harp” embodies a surreal, enigmatic contemplation, captured by Dali’s masterful use of color and form to elicit a sense of wonder and provoke interpretative exploration.
