The artwork “Roma from Figueres” was created by Salvador Dali in 1923. It is an oil painting on cardboard that demonstrates qualities of the Expressionism movement. Dali, known for his later Surrealist works, presents a portrait in this piece, capturing a figure that appears introspective or perhaps melancholic.
In the artwork, the subject is depicted sitting with their hands resting on their knees, exuding a contemplative aura. The figure is adorned in a white headpiece that drapes over the back, and the attire appears simple, suggesting a humble situation or perhaps a connection to the local culture of Figueres, Dali’s birthplace. The colors are relatively muted, employing earthy tones that are consistent with some expressionist palettes aiming to convey emotion through distortion and subjective representation.
Behind the figure, there’s a sense of a confined space, indicated by the array of objects such as books, a white cloth that perhaps evokes the sense of a window, and a guitar to the right, which introduces a cultural or personal element to the scene. The use of perspective and the angular depiction of the figure contribute to an overall impression that prioritizes emotional resonance over literal representation. This adherence to the expressionistic ethos is illustrative of an early phase in Dali’s artistic journey before he fully embraced the fantastical iconography of Surrealism for which he is widely celebrated.
