Salvador Dalí (1904–1989), *Christ of St. John of the Cross*, 1978

Bas-relief; patinated bronze; 82 x 50 cm; an ornate, decorative case with a gold-embossed title, an image of Christ, and Dalí’s signature.
The case contains a detailed description of Dalí’s work, including the edition number. The edition number is embossed on the left at 84/195, and the artist’s signature is embossed on the right with a biblical ornament.
Publisher: Center Art Galleries, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
Dali chose not to depict Christ wearing a crown of thorns, and placed the inscription INRI (Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudaeorum—Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews) above Christ’s head rather than, as is customary, on the cross. Dali focused on the “cosmic” and “metaphysical” significance of Christ as the unity of the universe. The artist depicts Jesus as the “nucleus of an atom”—the divine center of everything. Christ does not appear tormented, but rather soars above the earthly landscape (Port Lligat Bay), suggesting divine glory, triumph over death, and love for the world.
This unique work is a sculptural interpretation of Dalí’s most famous religious painting from 1951. This edition, published by Center Art Galleries in Honolulu, is one of the most prestigious and best-documented series of the artist’s reliefs from the 1970s.
1. Origin and Publisher
• Publisher: Center Art Galleries (Honolulu, Hawaii). It was one of the most important galleries working directly with Dalí in the 1970s and 1980s (often in collaboration with the publisher Levine & Levine). They were responsible for many luxury editions of sculptures and prints intended for the American market.
• Date of Creation: The sculpture project was conceived in 1978. Dalí sought to give his visionary interpretation of Christ a physical, three-dimensional form.
2. Technical Specifications
• Material: Patinated bronze. The patina in this edition typically has a deep, dark brown hue with subtle wear marks that highlight the figure’s anatomy.
• Technique: Lost-wax casting (cire perdue). The bas-relief is characterized by an unusual “bird’s-eye view” perspective (known as “supernatural perspective”), which was a revolutionary idea by Dalí.
3. Signatures and Markings (Specific Details)
• Biblical Ornament: A decorative motif (e.g., a stylized fish or cross) often appears next to the signature, which was typical of Dalí’s religious works from this period, intended to emphasize the mystical nature of the piece.
• Case: The original embossed case is an integral part of the object. At that time, Center Art Galleries placed great emphasis on the presentation, treating the case as an “altar” for the sculpture.
4. Artistic Significance (Characteristics of the Work)
• Inspiration: Dalí based this composition on a drawing by the Spanish mystic St. John of the Cross (16th century), who allegedly saw Christ from this perspective during a state of ecstasy.
• Symbolism: The absence of nails, blood, and the crown of thorns. Dalí’s Christ is not a suffering figure, but one triumphing over the world (visible in the lower part of the composition as the landscape of Portlligat). This is the so-called “cosmic Christ.”
5. Sources and Authenticity
• Descharnes: This bas-relief is listed in the archives of Robert Descharnes (catalog *Le Dur et le Mou* / *The Hard and the Soft*), who documented the artist’s sculptural work.