Salvador Dali's photograph and dedication to Robert Whitaker (1967)

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Original signature of Salvador Dali on a portrait by British Beatles photographer Robert Whitaker.

• Photograph of Salvador Dali taken by Robert Whitaker, with an original Dali autograph.
• 19.6 cm x 30.1 cm.
• Spain, 1967.
• Good state.
• Unique piece.

On the back, a note by Robert Whitaker

Salvador Dali: the mad genius of the 20th century. Dali poses with his gold laurel wreath, a white flower balanced on the bridge of his nose. He says: "I adore the simple purity of flowers, particularly as I am such a vegetable as a human being." Please acknowledge: photograph by Robert Whitaker. Camera press (text and illustrations) London T/I 1297-13.

Salvador Dali (1904 - 1989) was one of the most important surrealist artists in Spain, working as a visual artist, painter and sculptor. His work had several influences, such as Pablo Picasso, whom he met in Paris in 1929, in addition to the psychological works of Freud. In the 1930s, a period of great artistic production, Dali was part of the artistic movement known as surrealism. His works, with an extraordinary artistic quality, are almost always representations of a bizarre universe, such as the famous “Persistence of Memory” (1931), “Soft Construction with Cooked Peas: Premonition of the Civil War” (1936), “O Sono” (1937) or “Giraffe in Flames” (1937).

Robert Whitaker (1939 - 2011) was a famous British photographer, known internationally for his photographs of the Beatles. Taken between 1964 and 1966, began during the second American tour and the next two years traveling with the Beatles and taking at work, at rest, at play, on their walks, at home, in the recording studio, in private moments and in photo -formal sessions.

Afterwards Whitaker moved away from the pop scene and returned to the art world, in which he began his photographic career. One of his most famous subjects from this period was Salvador Dali, who he photographed several times between 1967 and 1972. He met Dali at his Spanish mansion and told him that he wanted to use his camera "to get inside his head".

We contacted Robert Whitaker's son, Benjamin, who gave us some information regarding this document:

This photograph was a test for an article called "Salvador Dali: the mad genius of the 20th century". Test prints were made before a final selection, as the images are easier to see this way rather than looking at 35mm film negatives. The original image was in color. I've attached it so you can see what it originally looked like. It was taken in 1967 at Dali's house in Cadequez, Spain. I believe it was also used in an Encore magazine article in the early 70s.

What makes his document more interesting than many others is that it is signed by Dali himself. This dedication greatly enhances the document.