The Persistence of Memory 1931 by Salvador Dalí

The Persistence of Memory 1931 by Salvador Dalí
Year: 1931 | Medium: Oil on canvas | Location: Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), New York City

Spanish painter Salvador Dalí created The Persistence of Memory in 1931, and it quickly became one of the most important pieces of the Surrealist movement. Since its creation, it’s been reference numerous times in pop culture, particularly due to its most recognizable characteristics – the “melting” pocket watches. These soft, melting pieces support the artist’s theory of “softness” and “hardness,” which he explored greatly and was central to his works at the time. While some believed The Persistence of Memory to depict Dalí’s view of Albert Einstein’s theory of special relativity, according to the artist, it was “the surrealist perception of a Camembert melting in the sun.”