Created by the renowned Surrealist artist Salvador Dali in 1933, the artwork “Retrospective Bust of a Woman” is a sculpture that exemplifies the unconventional and dreamlike presentations characteristic of the Surrealist movement. Crafted from a combination of materials such as cardboard, porcelain, and sponge, this piece of artwork stands as a distinct example of Dali’s penchant for the bizarre and thought-provoking. The sculpture is currently held in a private collection and represents the genre of Surrealist sculpture.
The artwork presents a bust of a woman, depicted in a somewhat traditional representation from the chest up. However, the normality ends there, as the work is adorned with unexpected elements. Resting atop the woman’s head is a large baguette, adding an element of absurdity that is typical of Dali’s works. This baguette functions as a base for a miniature scene – a porcelain inkwell decorated with two figurines, which are surrounded by what appear to be sprigs of green foliage.
Examining the bust itself, the woman’s face has a serene, almost porcelain-like complexion, and is embellished with what seem to be corn kernels spread across her cheeks, whimsically forming a pattern that contrasts with her otherwise smooth skin. Her hair appears braided and hangs down beside her neck, while a black and white fringed collar encircles her throat.
The juxtaposition of ordinary objects with the human form in a non-traditional manner is a distinctive feature of Dali’s work that questions the viewers’ perceptions of reality and conventional beauty. The unexpected pairing of items, combined with the detailed craftsmanship, invites onlookers to interpret the piece from a psychological and surrealist standpoint, stimulating the subconscious and poking at the accepted boundaries of art at the time of its creation.
