The Great Masturbator

Salvador Dali is widely regarded as one of the best surrealist artists, and his work The Great Masturbator is nearly unparalleled in the genre.

Dali remarked that this particular work, painted in 1929, is meant to depict, in part, himself at the early age of 25. Dali, like Tanguy, was fascinated by Sigmund Freud's work, particularly the domain of subliminal sexual urges.

The dominant figure in the painting is patterned from the iconic Cullero rock at Cape Creus in Spain. The enormous figure is thought to depict Dali's inner worries as well as his recurring obsessions.

He would remark that the presence of a grasshopper reflected his paralyzing phobia of insects. This painting is one of the most well-known surrealist works, and it is another piece based on the artist's "paranoia-critical interpretations."

Date created: 1929

Dimensions: 110 x 150 cm

Location: Room 205.13 - André Breton. The Magician of Surrealism