Don Quichotte et l’âge atomique 1957

"Don Quichotte et l’âge atomique" (1957) by Salvador Dalí is a surrealist masterpiece depicting the titular character from Miguel de Cervantes' novel facing the horrors of the atomic age. The central figure is a skeletal, elongated, crucified figure, his outstretched arms forming an "X" shape that resembles a nuclear explosion. Dali's signature use of distorted forms and jarring imagery creates a sense of anxiety and unease, reflecting the global anxieties of the Cold War era. This artwork exemplifies Dali’s fascination with the collision of historical narratives with modern scientific advances.