Occult & Esoterica
[DALI, Salvador] 50 Secrets of Magic Craftsmanship (1st edition, 1948)
[DALI, Salvador] 50 Secrets of Magic Craftsmanship (1st edition, 1948)
Translated by Haakon M. Chevalier
New York: The Dial Press, 1948. First Edition. Hardcover. Tall quarto. 192pp. Black cloth with large design of Dali's name in gilt to front panel. Spine titled in gilt. Illustrated with numerous b&w drawings and vignettes, and a few color images. Gilt to spine is rubbed making the title difficult to read. Otherwise a near fine copy in a very good dust jacket.
For many, Salvador Dalí (1904–1989) represents the Surrealist painter par excellence, one whose work explored his own dream life, hallucinations, and fetishes in the process of objectifying the irrational elements of the unconscious. In this rare and important volume, Dali expresses (in his inimitably eccentric fashion) his ideas of what painting should be, expounds on what is good and bad painting, offers opinions on the merits of Vermeer, Picasso, Cézanne, and other artists, and expresses his thoughts on the history of painting.
In a blend of outrageous egotism and unconventional humor, Dalí presents 50 "secrets" for mastering the art of painting: "the secret of sleeping while awake," "the secret of the periods of carnal abstinence and indulgence to be observed by the painter," "the secret of the painter's pointed mustaches," "the secret of learning to paint before knowing how to draw," "the secret of the painter's marriage," "the secret of the reason why a great draughtsman should draw while completely naked," and many other Daliesque prescriptions for artistic success.