The Persistence of Memory is a 1931 oil painting by Salvador Dali, and the work he is probably best-known for. It is a good example of early surrealism. It was formerly named Melting Clocks.
Symbolism and Meaning[]
The painting features a dreamlike setting typical in Dalí's work. He used personal symbols in order to communicate how time destroys memory. Some of these symbols include:
- Ants - symbolize death and decay
- Clocks - time and memory
The tan figure in the foreground is Dali's reperesentation of himself.