‘Dali/Vermeer: A Dialogue’ Opens at the Meadows Museum
“Vermeer of Delft is the pinnacle of painting … in the drama of his work, the pictorial problem disappears,” Salvador Dalí once said.
For the first time in art history, Johannes Vermeer and Salvador Dalí stand side by side in the “Dalí/Vermeer: A Dialogue” exhibition at SMU’s Meadows Museum.
In his lifetime, Dalí drew inspiration from the great Renaissance and Baroque painters, especially of Dutch artist Johannes Vermeer. A long-time admirer, the Spanish artist dedicated at least 20 of his works to the painter of Delft.
In this special exhibition, Vermeer’s Woman in Blue Reading a Letter and Dalí’s The Image Disappears showcases Dalí’s tribute to Vermeer. Dalí’s composition shows the same woman disappearing while also in true surrealist fashion, illustrating an illusion to the viewer’s eye. Also on view is Dalí’s Vermeer’s The Love Letter, from Changes in Great Masterpieces.
“For North Texas audiences this is a rare opportunity to see a Vermeer in person or for anyone west of the Mississippi,” said museum director, Amanda W. Dotseth. “We are deeply indebted to the Rijksmuseum and to the Fundació Gala-Salvador Dalí for their generous loans. This exhibition proves how palpable Vermeer’s impact was on the famed Spanish Surrealist.”
“Dalí/Vermeer: A Dialogue” is on view from Oct. 16, 2022, through Jan. 15, 2023.
