2024-11-19
A previously unknown work, which was among a circle of paintings possibly painted by Salvador Dalí, is on display at the Heather James Fine Art gallery in New York. The authenticity of the canvas has been confirmed by Nicolas Descharnes, a researcher on the artist's works.
The work probably incorporates two recurring motifs that Dali began to use in 1932, namely the window looking towards the space outside and the protruding pillar. The pigments and painterly media used in the painting also correspond to those used by the artist in the 1930s. In addition, the work has undergone a number of specialized tests and analyses, as well as archival research.
The painting does not have a title - Dali frequently renamed his works - and as a result, Descharnes has been unable to reconstruct the exhibition history of the work, while two exhibitions held at the Galerie Pierre Colle in Paris in 1932, where untitled works were presented, are taken into account. The painting is signed "Gala Salvador Dalí", a peculiar tribute by the artist to his wife, who Descharnes says contributed to the surrealist's life stability and was his most important muse.
Descharnes suspects that the newly found painting was inspired by the Spanish house (Port Lligat) where Salvador and Gala lived from 1932 to 1938. According to the research, the stretcher bars were made in Spain, which would support the theory that the work was painted during the artist's first months in Port Lligat. The work has not yet been included in the official catalogue of the artist, which is handled by the Gala-Salvador Dalí Foundation.
Descharnes was also involved in research to establish the authenticity of the painting The Intrauterine Birth of Salvador Dalí, which was officially classified as the painter's work in 2014.