The artwork titled “Rocks of Liane (first version)” was created by the artist Salvador Dali in 1926. As part of the Realism movement, Dali crafted this landscape genre piece during his formative years before he embraced the Surrealism that he is most often associated with.
The artwork in question features a stark, somewhat subdued landscape dominated by a body of water which presumably represents the sea. Dark, rugged forms of rocks punctuate the right side of the composition, leading the viewer’s eye from the foreground to the middle distance. The contrast of light and shadow is handled with a high degree of naturalism, giving the rocks a weighty and solid presence amidst the serene expanse of water. In the distance, the horizon line clearly separates the calm sea from a cloudy sky, imbuing the scene with a tranquil, if somewhat melancholy atmosphere. Notably, the palette appears to consist of a limited range of tones, further enhancing the overall sense of realism.
