The artwork titled “The Wheelbarrow (Pantheon Formed by Twisted Wheelbarrows)” is a creation of Salvador Dali, dated to 1951. This piece is a symbolic painting, aligning with the Surrealist art movement, an avant-garde movement that sought to release the creative potential of the unconscious mind. The artwork is housed in the Salvador Dali Museum located in St. Petersburg, Florida, United States.
The artwork depicts a striking and surreal architectural structure that resembles a pantheon, constructed of several twisted and contorted wheelbarrows. These wheelbarrows are organized in such a way that they form the walls and dome of this implied edifice. The central part of the dome is highlighted by an opening that suggests a spiraling ascension toward the sky. The intricate detailing of the wheelbarrows gives the appearance of a complex and twisted form which is arranged with meticulous care to simulate classical architectural motifs typically found in sacred or symbolic structures.
In the middle ground stands a classical entrance with columns, leading into the wheelbarrow pantheon. Figures can be observed in the foreground; their diminutive size in comparison to the wheelbarrows and the structure accentuates the surreal and dream-like quality of the scene. The tonality of the artwork is soft and seems to utilize a subdued palette, providing an almost ethereal atmosphere to the entire scene. The overall composition invokes contemplation on the confluence of the ordinary object—the wheelbarrow—with a monumental and spiritual dimension, a juxtaposition that is quintessential to Dali’s surreal explorations.
