“Morning Ossification of the Cypress” is a symbolic painting that was created by Salvador Dali in 1934. The artwork, rendered in oil on canvas, is an example of the Surrealist movement and measures 82 by 66 centimeters. Currently, the painting is part of a private collection. As a work influenced by Surrealism, it invites contemplation on the subconscious and the dream-like scenarios that often characterize Dali’s oeuvre.
The artwork presents a striking contrast between the calm, ethereal background and the central object of focus. A sense of depth is created through the use of a gradient blue sky that transitions from a lighter tone at the horizon to a deeper, more vivid hue towards the top. Scattered cloud formations, rendered in shades of white and yellow, add to the dream-like quality of the sky and provide a sense of movement.
The artwork’s foreground features two dark cypress trees, elongated and slender, stretching vertically and dominating the composition. One tree in particular sharply bisects the canvas, anchoring the painting’s central visual elements.
Suspended between these cypress trees is a horse, seemingly frozen mid-leap. This figure may evoke the feeling of a moment caught in time, a common thematic element found within the realm of Surrealism which often plays with the idea of time and reality. The horse appears to be rendered with a careful attention to detail, highlighting the artist’s skill in creating life-like textures and forms within a fantastical context. The equine form’s positioning, imbuing the scene with a sense of the impossible or the otherworldly, underscores the surreal atmosphere that Dali is renowned for.
Together, these elements coalesce to form a contemplative and enigmatic scene that invites viewers to interpret the work through the lens of their own subconscious. As with much of Dali’s work, “Morning Ossification of the Cypress” blurs the line between reality and the imagination, asking the audience to question the nature of both.
