The Persistence of Memory

The Persistence of Memory is one of the most recognizable artworks of Surrealism. It is widely recognized and frequently referenced in popular culture, and sometimes referred to by more descriptive titles, such as "Melting Clocks", "The Soft Watches" or "The Melting Watches".

This iconic and much-reproduced painting depicts the fluidity of time as a series of melting watches, their forms described by Dali as inspired by a surrealist perception of Camembert cheese melting in the sun. The distinction between hard and soft objects highlights Dali's desire to flip reality lending to his subjects characteristics opposite their usually inherent properties, an un-reality often found in our dreamscapes. They are surrounded by a swarm of ants hungry for the organic processes of putrefaction and decay of which Dali held unshakable fascination. Because the melting flesh at the painting's center resembles Dali, we might see this piece as a reflection on the artist's immortality amongst the rocky cliffs of his Catalonian home.

The Disintegration of the Persistence of Memory

Apparition of Face and Fruit Dish on a Beach