“Portrait of My Dead Brother” is an artwork by Salvador Dali, created in 1963. This piece is executed in oil on canvas and embodies the characteristics of both the Op Art and Surrealism movements. The dimensions of the artwork are significant, measuring at 175.26 by 175.26 cm. As its genre suggests, it is a portrait and is housed at the Salvador Dali Museum in St. Petersburg, Florida, United States.
The artwork presents an intriguing and haunting visage constructed from a matrix of dot-like forms, giving it a hallucinatory or optical illusion quality reminiscent of Op Art techniques. This mosaic of dots coalesces to form the features of a face, which dominates the central portion of the canvas. Surrounding the central portrait element, the painting features a Surrealist landscape rendered in a more subdued palette. The lower section of the artwork depicts a desolate, dream-like scene with figures and objects that appear to be engaged in enigmatic activities; one such figure is holding a spear, while a group of smaller figures can be seen scattered across the landscape. The barren terrain and the twilight sky contribute to an otherworldly and somber mood, befitting the memorial nature of the portrait. The amalgamation of hyper-detailed elements with the vast emptiness of the landscape is characteristic of Dali’s complex and symbolic approach to Surrealism, which often drew from the depths of the subconscious and dream imagery.
