The artwork titled “The Alert,” created by Salvador Dali in 1938, is a surrealist landscape painted in oil on wood. Measuring 24 x 19 cm, this piece encapsulates the distinctive dream-like imageries characteristic of Dali’s work within the Surrealism art movement. Currently housed in a private collection, “The Alert” remains an exemplar of Dali’s enigmatic and evocative style.
The artwork depicts a barren, desert-like landscape under a muted sky. Dominating the scene is a strange, elongated, red pole-like structure that extends diagonally across the composition, anchored by a draped, shroud-like figure at one end, whose brown and red hues echo the surrounding terrain. On the horizon, a shadowy human figure stands motionless, contributing to a sense of stillness and anticipation. Near this figure, an architectural form reminiscent of a watchtower emerges, reinforcing the theme implied by the title of the piece — a state of alertness or vigilance. Despite the absence of overt narrative or action, the artwork conjures an atmosphere of tension, uncertainty, and poignant mystery.
