The artwork entitled “Untitled (St. John from Behind)” was created by the renowned artist Salvador Dali in 1965. As an integral piece of the Surrealism art movement, the genre of this work is classified as religious painting, reflecting Dali’s exploration of spiritual and mystical themes.
The artwork portrays a figure that seems to be St. John, depicted from behind, raising a staff skyward. The figure is situated within an arched structure reminiscent of a portal or gateway, flanked by crumbling walls that give a sense of decay or ruin. The body language of St. John appears dynamic, suggesting movement and a moment of proclamation or revelation. The arch above the figure is inscribed with a date and symbols, which may have symbolic meaning within the context of the painting. Below the archway, the walls are composed of uneven, disjointed bricks, further contributing to the atmosphere of dilapidation and contrasting with the celestial pattern within the arch.
The backdrop within the arch bears a starry motif that creates a cosmic or heavenly atmosphere, an element that might be interpreted as a representation of divine presence or a mystical revelation. The artwork embodies the Surrealist efforts to tap into the subconscious and the irrational, and it embraces the enigmatic and paradoxical—key characteristics of Dali’s oeuvre. Through the surreal depiction of St. John, Dali invites the viewer to consider the metaphysical relationships between the divine, the decay of the physical world, and the eternal.
