The meaning of many Dali paintings to researchers is not entirely clear. But "Autumn cannibalism" is interpreted unambiguously. He is equated with Picasso's “Guernica”: in their original original manner, the artists depicted their fear and aversion to the Spanish Civil War.
about the author
Salvador Dali is one of the most popular artists of our time. Only Picasso could compete with him in popularity in the twentieth century. But, unlike him, Dali was also a brilliant marketer. He managed to sell not only his paintings, but also his image, carefully emasculated and covered with prudently fabricated legends. Such hyperpopularity led to the fact that by the end of the last century in Europe and America, Dali's work managed to get a little bored, as evidenced by auction sales. At the same time, in Russia, his paintings continue to be very successful. "Autumn cannibalism", written in 1936, refers to the early period of the artist.
The plot of the picture
The painting "Autumn Cannibalism" depicts a Catalan beach and a chest of drawers on it. Here are the main characters of the picture: two impersonal creatures, one of which is female, and the other - male features. Woven in a crazy embrace, they eat each other. In this tangle of bodies it is difficult to make out where whose flesh is. The picture contains the attributes of a still life: broken bread, nuts, apples. Chunks of fresh meat are scattered on the countertop, one of them is nailed.
In the background is a crimson scorched valley, behind it you can see the buildings of the Spanish town. From two sides it is framed by mountains. In one of the hills on the right you can see a predatory grinning face. The cloud in the sky is not accidental either, it reads a profile distorted by a cry of horror. Unlike the surrealistic foreground, the background in Dali's paintings often looks quite realistic.
Interpretation
It is quite difficult to talk about the plot in the paintings of this painter, and even more so to interpret it. But regarding Dali’s painting “Autumn Cannibalism,” the researchers of his work are unanimous: the plot is inspired by the horror of the Civil War in his native Spain. Creatures devouring each other, woven into a ball - a single Spanish people, split into two parts. Eating his brother, he destroys himself. Like other paintings by Dali, Autumn Cannibalism is filled with various symbols. So, the ants in his works are a symbol of death and decay. Bread means fear of hunger and poverty. A chest of drawers is an image often found in the artist’s works. This is a kind of "Pandora's box." Hidden desires, secret thoughts, subconscious fears are hidden here. An apple on the head of one of the characters in the picture is interpreted as an allusion to the legend of William Tell. According to legend, he was forced to shoot from an onion into an apple on the head of his son. Thus, in the picture, the fruit symbolizes coercion from the outside and at the same time, the close connection of the two creatures. A peeled apple on the countertop symbolizes, contrary to legend, the inevitable death of his son.
Dali's paintings are a complex cultural phenomenon, ambiguous for perception and interpretation. This does not negate the fact that the artist remains one of the key persons of the twentieth century.