The artwork in question, a poster purportedly by Salvador Dali, is said to date back to 1935 and is affiliated with the Dada and Surrealist movements. Dada and Surrealism are known for their avant-garde approach, often characterized by irrationality, disregard for conventional aesthetic standards, and a dream-like visual language. The genre of the work is a poster, intended to convey information, typically through a combination of graphic elements and textual content.
The artwork presents an assemblage of disparate elements against a dark background striated with vertical lines that could evoke rainfall or bars. Dominating the composition is a large skull-like shape, its contours and cavities filled with abstract forms and everyday objects. To its left, a column of smoke rises, morphing into abstract shapes that could be interpreted as numerical forms or partial letters above a glass with a deep red content. In the upper area of the artwork, a cloud-like white form is the foundation for a stylized, red figure that may represent a human or animal in motion.
Directly beneath the central skull figure are text elements in a flowing, script-like font that appears to reference a specific location and date, consistent with the customary function of posters to announce events. Consistent with the Surrealist movement, the poster evokes a sense of dislocation and unexpected juxtapositions, inviting viewers to form personal associations and delve into a world that defies logical interpretation.
