Between 1933 and 1934, Salvador Dalí created 44 illustrations for Les Chants de Maldoror, a fantastical 1869 text written by Isidore Ducasse, better known by his pen name, the Comte de Lautréamont. Lautréamont’s book had nearly vanished into obscurity when it was rediscovered in the 1920s by the French Surrealists, who championed its rebellious spirit and bizarre prose—elements Dalí complemented with an arsenal of personal visions drawn from his creative subconscious. Celebrating the 2024 Centennial Anniversary of the founding of the Surrealist movement, and in partnership with the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts—which recently acquired the complete set of etchings that the artist made for the original 1934 edition—this exhibition, held in the United Company and Legard Galleries, presents Dalí’s astonishing Maldoror prints with researched didactic materials by Washington & Lee University students, as well as Surrealist catalogs and ephemera from the collection of Dr. Elliott King, Associate Professor of Art History at W&L.
The exhibition is co-curated by Dr. King, and Dr. Michael R. Taylor, Chief Curator and Deputy Director for Art and Education at the VMFA. Salvador Dali: Les Chants De Maldoror is a Virginia Museum of Fine Art original exhibition and is part of the museum’s McGlothlin Exhibition Series. This exhibition is sponsored by Johnston Memorial Hospital.
About the VMFA: Founded in 1936, The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA) is the state’s flagship art museum. VMFA is a state-supported, privately endowed educational institution created for the benefit of the citizens of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Its purpose is to collect, preserve, exhibit, and interpret art, to encourage the study of the arts, and thus to enrich the lives of all.
Related Events:
Members and Lenders Reception* | Wednesday, September 3 from 5:30–7:30 PM
Join us for our opening reception with a special discussion of the exhibition between Dr. Michael Taylor and Dr. Elliott King! An exclusive viewing and tour of the exhibition will be held for William King Society members from 5:00 – 5:30 PM. From 5:30 – 6:00 the exhibition will be open to the public with refreshments. From 6:00 to 6:30 will be the panel discussion on the terrace, and the public will be welcomed back in for a perspective viewing from 6:30 to 7:00.
Tours at 4 | Thursday, September 4 from 4:00–5:00 PM
Join our curator for a family-friendly tour of Salvador Dali: Les Chants De Maldoror. Open to the public. RSVP by emailing rsvp@wkmuseum.org.
Members’ Morning* | Wednesday, September 10 at 10:00 AM
Museum members can enjoy an in-depth talk and look at the exhibition while savoring a special treat from The Girl and the Raven café.
Exhibition-Related Programming
Look for accompanying workshops and classes at www.williamkingmuseum.org/calendar.
*Not a member? No problem! You can sign up for as little as $25 a year at www.williamkingmuseum.org/become-a-member.
