About the artworkThe Enigma of William Tell was painted the year Hitler and the Nazis seized power in Germany. Symbols such as the melting clock in a desolate landscape have become synonymous with surrealist imagery. The picture is dominated by a human-like figure with a gigantic buttock. A walnut shell cradle with a tiny person is in danger of being crushed underfoot. Dalí has said that the tiny creature is his lover, Gala, and that the male figure represents his father, who opposed his relationship with a married woman. But the facial features and the iconic peaked hat are reminiscent of the Soviet leader, Lenin. Dalí strove to "photograph the subconscious", as he put it. The painting is an enigma, giving many clues but no answers. Selected exhibition history Moderna Museets samling i ny presentation (1998-2000) Moderna Museet, Stockholm Ny presentation av samlingen (2000-2002) Moderna Museet, Stockholm Mästerverken åter. Verk av spanska konstnärer ur Samling S. runt den återbördade Picassos Källan. (1995) Moderna Museet, Stockholm Supersurrealismen (den 29 september 2012 - den 27 januari 2013) Moderna Museet Malmö Salvador Dali (1973-1974) Moderna Museet, Stockholm Samlingsutställning 2004 - 2011 - I vår tid (2004 - 2011) Moderna Museet, Stockholm Internationell Surrealism (1998) Moderna Museet, Stockholm Samlingsutställning 2019-2022 (den 1 februari 2019 - den 27 augusti 2023) Moderna Museet, Stockholm The Moderna Museet exhibition catalogues The Masterpieces are back! : Moderna Museet, Spårvagnshallarna : [May 6th - August 27th 1995]Mästerverken åter! Moderna Museet, Spårvagnshallarna : [6 maj - 27 augusti 1995]Salvador Dali : Moderna Museet, Stockholm : 26 december 1973 - 24 februari 1974 Bibliography Dalí, Salvador, La conquête de l'irrationnel, 1935, ill. nr. 11. Soby, Dalí, 1941, s. 16 Dalí, Salvador, The secret life of Salvador Dalí, Dial Press, New York 1947, ill. (foto) s. 263. Jean, Histoire de la peinture surréaliste, 1959, s. 220, 223. Arts, vol. 35, jan 1961, ill. s. 53. Descharnes, Robert, The world of Salvador Dalí, Macmillan & Co Ltd, London 1962, s 222, ill. (färg) s. 162. Romare, Kristian, Salvador Dali om Wilhelm Tells gåta: Intervju med Salvador Dali av Kristian Romare i TV, Konstrevy, 1967. Salvador Dalí. The Work. The Man., Harry N: Abrams Inc. Publishers, New York 1984, ill. (färg) s. 136 Dalí, Harry N. Abrams Inc., New York 1985, ill. nr. 28, s. 28. Alexandrian, L'art surréaliste, 1968 (Surrealist Art 1970, s. 104). Passeron, Histoire de la peinture surréaliste, 1968, s. 141. Ooka, Dalí, 1968, ill. s. 95. Dalí, Salvador, Comment on devient Dalí, Editions Robert Laffont, Paris 1973, ill. s. 357. Ades, Dawn, Dalí, Thames and Hudson, London 1982, ill. nr. 70 Taube, Maria och Gedin, Marika, Hjärtats bilder, Stockholm 1993, s. 74-75, ill. s. 72-73. Finkelstein, Haim, Salvador Dalí's Art and Writing 1927-1942, Cambridge University Press, New York 1996, ill. nr. 42. Weyers, Frank, Salvador Dalí: Liv och verk (Köln 2000), s. 35.

Works by the artist