Lot Essay
With Allied fortunes at their lowest ebb in 1941-1942, the general public could little afford to pay attention to the 30's style antics of the unpredictable Spanish surrealist who had taken up temporary residence in their midst. Nevertheless, Dalí's reputation continued to grow among America's cultural elite. In November, 1941, The Museum of Modern Art, New York, opened a retrospective of Dalí's works in conjunction with an exhibition honoring Miró. Comprised of more than forty works, the exhibition later traveled to eight cities in America. During this time Dalí created jewels with the Duke of Verdura and designed ads for Vogue magazine. In 1943, Knoedler & Co., Inc. held an exhibition of Dalí portraits; among them was one of Princess Arthchil Gourielli (Helena Rubinstein). In the same year Dalí painted a series of three murals in tempera on cloth for the dining room of Miss Rubinstein's New York apartment. The scenes depict morning, noon and evening. The present painting is closely related to the second mural in the group. It is the most dynamic of the three; an heroic figure with his legs planted firmly on earth stretches upwards and merges with the clouds, the embodiment of youthful energy and idealism.