LA MUSIQUE or L’ORCHESTRE ROUGE or LES SEPT ARTS 1957

Music to the… eyes? This oil painting by the renowned surrealist artist Salvador Dalí (1904-1989) belongs to a series of seven works created for the foyer of the Ziegfield Theatre in New York. Commissioned by the musical producer Billy Rose, the seven paintings all centre on the theme of music. 🎵 The painting has no less than three titles: ‘Music’, ‘The Red Orchestra’, and ‘The Seven Arts’. Which title do you think fits best? 👇 This painting is often interpreted as a celebration of sound, but its elusive and mysterious narrative allows for a multitude of interpretations. It depicts several strange objects against a red stage curtain. The curtain is trimmed with edges of opulent gold, suggestive of wealth and luxury. The smooth and vibrant shade of red provides a striking background for the painting. 🎭 The piano at the centre-right of the canvas is here transformed into a body of water. The pianist is disembodied, as if she is being absorbed into the curtain. Her arms are outstretched, reaching out towards the blank space where the keys of the piano should lie. This gesture creates a sense of desperation and determination. To the left of the piano stands a faceless naked figure. His skin is cracking, as if made from brittle stone. He plays a surreal instrument, which consists of a hybrid between human and cello. These themes of decay, damage, and metamorphosis are common ideas explored in the art of Surrealism. ‘Music; The Red Orchestra; The Seven Arts’ was originally painted by Dali in 1943. However, just twelve years later, disaster struck when it was destroyed in a house fire. At the request of Billy Rose, Dali repainted the entire series between 1956 and 1957. 🔥 Editor: Lucy Jude Grantham