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Simonists
Salvador Dali • Painting, 1964
Description of the artwork «Simonists»
"The Simonists" is one of a hundred illustrations for the Dante's "Divine Comedy". Back in 1951, the Italian government ordered them Salvador Dali. They were preparing for the magnificent edition of the great work in honor of the 700th anniversary of its author - Dante Alighieri. Dali enthusiastically began to fulfill the order. Moreover, according to him, not only because of money. Salvador recognized and respected the talent of the great Italian.
The project was designed for 14 years. But around the middle of the work, the Italian public was sharply indignant that the Spaniard (actually, a Catalan, was invited to illustrate their national treasure, but who was it then interested in?). The government did not argue with the people, and canceled the order. Salvador Dali, nevertheless, continued to paint watercolors for each of the hundred songs of "Comedy" - he really liked the idea.
As wise people say: “Write not for money, but for eternity and glory. Then the money will come. May be". They came to Dali. Together with eternity and glory. Publisher Le Euler Claire became interested in the work of Salvador and volunteered to publish the Divine Comedy with his illustrations. For 55 months, woodcuts were created using watercolors: two masters involved 3,500 special boards, and Dali personally supervised the plate manufacturing process. Original watercolors of his illustrations are now in private collections in Germany. "Symonists" including.
The watercolor illustrates the Dante's “Hell”, demonstrating the personal attitude of Salvador Dali to the sin of simony - the sale of church posts. Sin owes this name to the sorcerer Simon, who was trying to buy the priesthood from the chief apostles.
“Then (the apostles) laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. But Simon, seeing that through the laying on of the hands of the Apostles the Holy Spirit is served, brought them money, saying: Give me this power, so that the one on whom I lay hands receives the Holy Spirit. But Peter said to him: Thy silver be with you in perdition, because you thought of the gift of God to receive for money. There is no part and lot for you in this, for your heart is not right before God. Repent of this sin of yours, and pray to God: perhaps the thought of your heart will be released to you; for I see you filled with bitter bile and in bonds of iniquity. (Acts 8: 17-24). ”
The “bonds of untruth” Dali portrayed as a huge boulder, fettering those who bought or tried to buy what is given for free and only by God's grace. And although greed has always been condemned in Christianity, in fact, the trade in posts was in full swing. During Dante, simony experienced another heyday. Salvador Dali impressively wrote this "legged" monster, which appears before the lyrical hero Dante.
As for his own religiosity, Dali said about it: "I am a Christian and a Catholic, but neither one nor the other is required to be an artist."
Author: Elena Siroid
The project was designed for 14 years. But around the middle of the work, the Italian public was sharply indignant that the Spaniard (actually, a Catalan, was invited to illustrate their national treasure, but who was it then interested in?). The government did not argue with the people, and canceled the order. Salvador Dali, nevertheless, continued to paint watercolors for each of the hundred songs of "Comedy" - he really liked the idea.
As wise people say: “Write not for money, but for eternity and glory. Then the money will come. May be". They came to Dali. Together with eternity and glory. Publisher Le Euler Claire became interested in the work of Salvador and volunteered to publish the Divine Comedy with his illustrations. For 55 months, woodcuts were created using watercolors: two masters involved 3,500 special boards, and Dali personally supervised the plate manufacturing process. Original watercolors of his illustrations are now in private collections in Germany. "Symonists" including.
The watercolor illustrates the Dante's “Hell”, demonstrating the personal attitude of Salvador Dali to the sin of simony - the sale of church posts. Sin owes this name to the sorcerer Simon, who was trying to buy the priesthood from the chief apostles.
“Then (the apostles) laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. But Simon, seeing that through the laying on of the hands of the Apostles the Holy Spirit is served, brought them money, saying: Give me this power, so that the one on whom I lay hands receives the Holy Spirit. But Peter said to him: Thy silver be with you in perdition, because you thought of the gift of God to receive for money. There is no part and lot for you in this, for your heart is not right before God. Repent of this sin of yours, and pray to God: perhaps the thought of your heart will be released to you; for I see you filled with bitter bile and in bonds of iniquity. (Acts 8: 17-24). ”
The “bonds of untruth” Dali portrayed as a huge boulder, fettering those who bought or tried to buy what is given for free and only by God's grace. And although greed has always been condemned in Christianity, in fact, the trade in posts was in full swing. During Dante, simony experienced another heyday. Salvador Dali impressively wrote this "legged" monster, which appears before the lyrical hero Dante.
As for his own religiosity, Dali said about it: "I am a Christian and a Catholic, but neither one nor the other is required to be an artist."
Author: Elena Siroid
