Dalí: Disruption and Devotion

Explore Salvador Dalí’s surrealist art alongside European masterpieces at MFA Boston, showcasing his traditional influences.

The iconoclastic artist Salvador Dalí is famous for his imagery and Surrealist vision. He was, however, also deeply rooted in tradition. Dalí studied, emulated, and indeed revered his European predecessors from centuries past, embracing influences from Spain, the Low Countries, and Italy throughout his long career.

This exhibition juxtaposes nearly 30 paintings and prints on loan from the Salvador Dalí Museum in St. Petersburg, Florida, with European masterpieces from the MFA’s collection, including portraits, religious scenes, and still-lifes by El Greco, Orazio Gentileschi, and Velázquez, among others.

In addition to these pairings, the exhibition features some of Dalí’s best-known works, such as Disintegration of the Persistence of Memory (1952–54.) Other examples reveal optical illusions and double images —hallmarks of Surrealism— while the monumental Ecumenical Council (1960) highlights Dalí’s technical mastery.