Portrait of Gala 1935

Salvador Dalí painted this curious portrait of Gala using oils, where the subject's own gaze is obscured. I wonder about the painting process; its shift from mind to matter. Did he have an idea of what he wanted to make, or did it emerge through trial, error, and intuition? The colours are muted and the light is diffused. What was he thinking as he painted? I sympathize with any painter who attempts to render folds of fabric. Just look at the back of the figure's jacket! The surface looks smooth and the paint thinly applied. He carefully controls the paint to achieve this remarkable image. This painting is deeply surreal, yet is also a study in realism. Artists are in an ongoing conversation and exchange of ideas across time, inspiring one another’s creativity. Painting embraces ambiguity and uncertainty, allowing for multiple interpretations.