The Hallucinogenic Toreador

A toreador is a bullfighter, one of the great heroes of Spanish culture. This work is arguably Dali's most ambitious double image painting, but surprisingly, this monumental canvas has humble origins. When shopping for art supplies, Dali purchased a box of Venus-brand pencils. Staring at the Venus de Milo on the box, he glimpsed a face within the shadows. This simple experience led to one of Dali's most complex paintings. Created over 16 months, this work overflows with flies, Venus statues, and other Dalinian images gathered inside a large bullring. Yet in the center of the canvas these images transform into the face Dali had glimpsed earlier one of the great Dali experiences.