{"product_id":"four-of-swords-by-salvador-dali","title":"Four of Swords by Salvador Dalí","description":"Salvador Dalí\u003cbr\u003e 1904-1989 | Spanish \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cem\u003eFour of Swords\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Signed “Dalí” (lower center)\u003cbr\u003e Gouache on photographic background \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Representing a unique blend of spiritualism and Surrealism, this gouache hails from Salvador Dalí’s fascinating and highly inventive deck of custom-made tarot cards. The original commission for the design came from Albert Broccoli, the producer of the James Bond film \u003cem\u003eLive and Let Die\u003c\/em\u003e, who sought a tarot deck to use in the movie. Though the contractual deal eventually fell through, Dalí continued the project of his own accord, largely thanks to the inspiration of his wife Gala, who had a strong interest in mysticism. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The Surrealist maestro drew upon a number of influences to complete the deck, which comprised 78 cards in total—22 major arcana and 56 minor. His own self-portrait served as the Magician card, while his beloved wife Gala naturally posed for the Empress. Jan Gossaert’s 1516 Renaissance work \u003cem\u003eNeptune and Amphitrite\u003c\/em\u003e was the basis for the Lovers card, and the Queen of Cups card represents a fascinating marriage of Duchamp’s iconic Mona Lisa remix \u003cem\u003eL.H.O.O.Q.\u003c\/em\u003e with a portrait of Elizabeth of Austria. The iconography of the deck is as eclectic as one would expect from Dalí; it is little wonder that it took him 10 years to complete the project. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e This gouache is among the original 56 minor arcana cards, depicting the Four of Swords. Traditionally, this card shows a knight or soldier lying in repose, suggesting rest, recovery or contemplation after struggle. When upright, the card signals the need for retreat, meditation and healing—an interlude before returning to action. Reversed, however, the card suggests restlessness and the dangers of ignoring the body and mind’s call for pause. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Dalí reimagines the Four of Swords with dramatic Surrealist flair. The central figure of the composition is unmistakably modeled after Jacques-Louis David's famed 1793 masterpiece, \u003cem\u003eThe Death of Marat\u003c\/em\u003e, one of the great icons of the French Revolution. By inserting this symbol of sacrifice into the tarot’s structure, Dalí infuses the card with a meditation on mortality and transcendence. The painted serpent introduces a sense of danger and metaphysical tension. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e After Dalí completed his deck, the original cards were assembled and published in a limited art edition in 1984. While a number of editions have since been printed of the cards, this \u003cem\u003eFour of Swords\u003c\/em\u003e is the artist’s original gouache creation. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Born in Catalonia in 1904, Dalí was formally educated in the fine arts in Madrid, particularly falling under the influence of the Impressionists and the Renaissance masters. At a young age, he became associated with the Madrid avant-garde group Ultra, though he eventually became more acquainted with other movements such as Cubism, Dada and Futurism. By the late 1920s, his mature Surrealist style had already begun to emerge, and in 1929 he officially burst onto the avant-garde art scene with his \u003cem\u003eUn Chien Andalou\u003c\/em\u003e, a short film he made with Spanish director Luis Buñuel. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Today, he is remembered as one of the most legendary and significant contributors to Surrealism. His \u003cem\u003ePersistence of Memory\u003c\/em\u003e, with its melting clocks, is arguably the most recognizable painting of the movement. Two museums—one in St. Petersburg, Florida and another in Catalonia—are entirely devoted to his oeuvre; other important works by the artist can be found in the Museum of Modern Art (New York), the Art Institute of Chicago, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the National Gallery of Art (Washington, D.C.), among many others. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Circa 1971 \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Paper: 12\" high x 9 1\/8\" wide (30.48 x 23.81 cm)\u003cbr\u003e Frame: 29 1\/4\" high x 25 3\/4\" wide x 1 1\/2\" deep (74.30 x 65.41 x 3.81 cm) \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Provenance:\u003cbr\u003e Private Collection, New York\u003cbr\u003e M.S. Rau, New Orleans\u003cbr\u003e Private Collection, United States\u003cbr\u003e M.S. Rau, New Orleans","brand":"M.S. Rau","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51803571192130,"sku":null,"price":98500.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0982\/5376\/6978\/files\/32-1427_1.png?v=1768103125","url":"https:\/\/www.bullvendors19.com\/products\/four-of-swords-by-salvador-dali","provider":"Bull Vendors 19","version":"1.0","type":"link"}