Salvador Dali Signed LE "The Divine Comedy Suite: Greed" 14x18 Custom Framed Etching on Bois Block Cut (PA LOA)

Custom framed bois block cut measures 14" x 18" in size. Features Salvador Dali's "Greed" from his Divine Comedy Suite. Hand-signed in red colored pencil by Salvador Dali (D. 1989). Limited edition and hand-numbered #127/150. Dali signed the Divine Comedy prints in three colored crayons/pencils: Blue for Heaven, Purple for Purgatory, and Red for Hell.

The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri remains today one of the pillars upon which the European literary tradition has been built. Originally titled simply Commedia, Dante's masterpiece was written at the end of his life and finished just before his death in 1321. Presented in the edition published by Les Heures Claires is Salvador Dali's interpretation of the wonderful and intense imagery that Dante formed through spinning a web of words both exciting and exhilarating.

To celebrate the 700th anniversary of Dante's birth, the government of Italy planned to issue a special edition of The Divine Comedy. For this issue, Dali created 101 watercolors between 1951 and 1960. In 1954, La Libreria della Stato published a brochure with seven of the paintings reproduced full size as lithographs, together with sample pages of the text. The prints are 16 1/2 inches x 11 inches with narrow margins. Due to the opposition these prints created, the Italian government dropped the project and postage stamps were issued instead. Several years later, Joseph Foret, in Paris, who had previously published other Dali suites such as Don Quichotte, started production of the prints by wood engraving. Master engravers worked from 1959 - 1963 to carve 3500 separate wood blocks for the 100 prints. The Divine Comedy project was then taken over and completed by Jean Estrade of Les Heures Claires. The Divine Comedy project was then taken over and completed by Jean Estrade of Les Heures Claires.

In 1958, a new government was elected in Italy, which objected to the idea of entrusting the illustration of the Divine Comedy to a foreign artist. As a result, Dali contacted two Parisian publishers, Joseph Foret and Jean Estrade, and jumped on an aeroplane. A new contract was signed, ensuring that one of the most beautiful works illustrated by Dali would in fact be French.

Famous surrealist painter Salvador Dali was born in 1904 in Figueres, Spain. Dali was encouraged to explore his artistic talents from an early age. He received formal training at the Academia de San Fernando in Madrid where he quickly gained attention from his classmates for his Cubist work. Dali was expelled from the Academia for behavioral issues and moved to Paris, where he quickly befriended Picasso, Magritte, and Miro. His new acquaintances led Dali to his Surrealist phase.

Though inspired by classic artists like Raphael, Bronzino, Vermeer, and Velazquez (Dali’s trademark mustache was influenced by Velazquez), Dali is best known for his surrealist work. In 1931, Dali painted “The Persistence of Memory,” his most famous piece, which featured the motif of the melting clock, which can be found in many of his works.

The autograph includes an LOA and lifetime authenticity guarantee from Pristine Auction.

Authentication: Pristine Auction LOA

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