Dali oil paintings who is Galatea?

Question

I was looking at this oil painting by Dali: http://www.overstockart.com/gaofspb36x48.html and I thought that this is first of all an amazing painting. Second, I wish I would know who is Galatea and what is the story behind this painting?

Answer 1

Gala was Dali's wife. Please have a look at this painting and compare the composition Galatea of the Spheres to the composition of this Renaissance painting of Galatea in the Villa Farnesina. Gala's name was Helena Diakanoff Devulina. I suspect that she took the Gala from Galatea but have not investigated her that much. If this link does not work when you click on it, copy and paste it to your browser.

Answer 2

Galatea is a really hot young woman in Greek mythology, and she got the hots bad and how for this guy Acis.

Now it's just too bad for the both of them that there's this giant Polyphemus who's like Big Daddy on something so evil you don't even want to know.

Well, the giant takes out Acis with no trouble and Galatea she crying like there's no tomorrow, so the gods take pity on her, and turn Acis into a stream.

Now speaking personally, I wouldn't have thought as how that would be much consolation. I guess she could wash her hair in him and all, but where's that at?

Anyhow. That's the story.

Handel wrote a real pretty opera called "Acis & Galatea" where the giant gets to smoke the biggest joint you ever see.
That's probably what makes him so mad. It can do that, you know?

Sometimes wonder what your man Dali was on. He can sure paint though.

I hope that answers your question.

Answer 3

Galatea is both a nymph in Greek myth and a comet/ asteroid that was visible when Dali painted it. Heavenly events have always engaged the artist through the ages. Almost no one ever knows what Dali means, but if you ask him he will tell you. And you may not be any better informed than before.

Salvadore Dali was one of the finest draftsmen and weirdest human beings of the 20th century. Spanish by birth, Monarchist and Catholic in mythology, Surrealist in style and proclamation. A great actor, a charlatan, a genius, a madman. He is more than worth your trouble to investigate.

Answer 4

I can tell you about "Galatea" and what the name means.

Galatea ("she who is milk-white") was the name of two figures in Greek mythology.


Galatea the Nereid nymph
Galatea was a Nereid [1] sea nymph who was yearned for by the Sicilian Cyclops Polyphemus [2]. She, however, loved a Sicilian youth named Acis, whom the giant Polyphemus killed with a boulder in a jealous rage. Distraught, Galatea turned his blood into the River Acis in Sicily.

According to Athenaeus [3], the story was first concocted as a political satire against the Sicilian tyrant Dionysius whose favourite concubine, Galatea, shared her name with a Nereid mentioned by Homer. Others [4] say the story was invented to explain the presence of a shrine dedicated to Galatea on Mount Etna.

As for why an artist chooses names for their works, I don't know.

Answer 5

Actually Galatea was the name of Dali's wife

Dali was so wack. prolly one of my most favorite painters of all time.

Answer 6

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Answer 7

Is your google button broken? Put name into google field. Press 'enter' key, click on link. Learn.

Answer 8

i thought gala was his wife...he did use her quite a bit for his paintings.