THE ELEPHANTS // 1948 // OIL ON CANVAS // UNKNOWN SIZE // PRIVATE COLLECTION
TELEPHANTS ARE A RECURRING THEME IN DALI'S WORK. THIS PAINTING IS DIFFERENT THAN THE OTHER ONES BECAUSE THE ANIMALS ARE THE PRIMARY FOCUS OF THE WORK INSTEAD OF BEING IN THE BACKGROUND OR AS A SECONDARY FOCUS. ELEPHANTS ARE TYPICALLY SYBOLS OF DOMINANCE, STRENGHT AND POWER, DUE TO THEIR BULKY AND HEAVY BODIES. HE CONTRASTS THIS ASSOCIATION BY GIVING THE ELEPHANTS LONG AND SPIDER-LIKE LEGS, BUT PUTS EMPHASIS ON THEIR WEIGHT BY PLACING MASSIVE OBELISKS ON THEIR BACKS. HOWEVER, BY LOOKING VERY CLOSELY, WE CAN SEE THAT THE OBELISKS FLOAT. THEY ARE BELIEVED TO BE INSPIRED BY BERNINI'S SCULPTURE IN ROME OF AN ELEPHANT CARRYING AN ANCIENT OBELISK.