Salvador Dali was born in Figueres. He studied at the art school, and then in Figueras Academy. He continued his education at the Academy of San Fernando. While in Madrid, Dali got interested in the works of Freud, he met with Lorca and Bunuel, experimented with new directions in painting.

Snobbery and arrogance became a cause of his expulsion from the Academy. Then, in 1926, he took the first trip to Paris. In the French capital, the artist met with the people who played an important role in the future of his life - Pablo Picasso and Paul Eluard's wife Gala, who would later become his wife Dali.

By 1929 he started cooperation with the Surrealists and began gaining popularity. But soon a split took place - the surrealists after Franco coming to power sympathized with the "left" forces, and Dali considered himself to be above political beliefs.

In 1937, Dali had a trip to Italy. Renaissance impressed the artist and left a significant mark on his work. After the Second World War, the artist and his wife went to the United States. Dali began literary activity that becomes commercially successful, was withdrawn in advertising and monetizing his artistic talent: he masters the profession of a jeweler, illustrator, decorator and even a ballet director.

After returning from the United States to Spain, the artist continued to create and shock, making movies, enjoying photography. In 1982, he fell sick with Parkinson's disease, and a year later his wife dies. All that reflected in the works - hand tremor interfered with drawing, paintings were filled with depression.

Works are the artist are traditionally in high demand. For instance, the painting «Portrait of Paul Eluard» (1929) in 2011 was sold for $20 600 000.