Who was Salvador Dali's Friend and Patron?
Posted: Sunday, February 18, 2007
by Rose Bourne
http://theartcollectorsnewsletter.com
Salvador Felipe Jacinto Dali i Domenech was born at 8:45 on the morning of May 11, 1904. This date marked the 100 year celebration held, around the world, in 2004.
Worldwide museums held special exhibitions to honor the greatest Surrealist artist. He was an artist who used bizarre dream imagery to create unforgettable and definitely unmistakable images of his subconscious world. As an art student in Madrid and Barcelona, Dalí assimilated a vast number of artistic styles and displayed unusual technical facility as a painter.
Perhaps the most famous of these enigmatic images is “The Persistence of Memory" (1931), in which limp, melting watches rest in an eerily calm landscape.
But as the years progressed Dali was soon to met one of his most important friends and patrons, Drs. Guiseppe and Mara Albaretto.
Their friendship, which began in the 1950's, would not only last until Dali's death in 1989 but would also produce the largest private collection of Dali original works in the world. As publishers of Dali's etchings and lithographsthe Albaretto's were able to give the world the "Sacra Biblia" portfolio, the "Odyssey of Homer", the "1001 Arabian Nights" series plus individual images.
Dali's friend and patron, Giuseppe Albaretto, commissioned the artist to create one hundred and five lithographs to illustrate the Bible. Six years were spent, from 1963 to 1969, in creating
the lithographs which were edited and printed by Rizzoli Editions. Between 1976 and 1979 Mr. Roberto Mastella, a prominent Dali collector arranged through Mr. Albaretto to have Dali hand-sign examples of the lithographs. These are the only known examples of the Sacra Biblia hand-signed by Salvador Dali in existence.
Then the Albaretto's were able to acquire Les Heures Claire publisher of the "Divine Comedy," comprising 101 wood engravings, illustrating the epic poem of Dante.
These works, due to their impeccable provenance, remain some of the most desirable graphic works ever created by Dali.
Mr. Bernard Ewell, ASA, a recognized expert in the field of Dali's works and appraiser of the Salvador Dali Museum, St. Petersburg, FL, authenticated the lithographs and the hand-signatures by Dali. Dr. Mara Albaretto Berio, widow of Giuseppe Albaretto, has also authenticated these lithographs. More than one year was spent researching and
authenticating these lithographs.
Bernard Ewell, in commenting on the series stated: "Having examined the original paintings, as well as the printed illustrations, I am tremendously impressed by the fidelity of the prints. It is frequently difficult to tell they are not the original paintings. They are of quality that would fool most viewers. Truly, the coming together of the Albarettos, the Bible and Dali resulted in a creation of a set of images that represent far more than the sum of the parts. Even so, it is worth stating again that each image quite clearly can stand alone as an individual work of art by Salvador Dali".
The Giuseppe and Mara Albaretto collection in Turin, Italy represents the largest collection of original Dali watercolors and The Salvador Dali Museum in St. Petersburg, Florida has the largest collection of original Dali oil paintings
Salvador Dali’s genius was complex and extensive. One of his particular strengths, however, was his draftsmanship. He almost always drew superbly as is evident in a great many of the subjects he created in his art works.
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Top-level comments on this article: (1 total)Loved this article. Something I didn't know about Dali. Rob
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