Paw Prints Anecdotes: Salvador Dali

Dali once took his pet ocelot with him to a New York restaurant and tethered it to a leg of the table while he ordered coffee. A middle-aged lady walked past and looked at the animal in horror. "What's that?" she cried. "It's only a cat," said Dali scathingly. "I've painted it over with an op-art design." The woman, embarrassed by her initial reaction, took a closer look and sighed with relief. "I can see now that's what it is," she said. "At first I thought it was a real ocelot."

Spanish surrealist painter, writer, and member of the surrealist movement. Dali's paintings are characterized by meticulous draftsmanship and realistic detail, with brilliant colors heightened by transparent glazes. Dali designed and produced surrealist films, illustrated books, handcrafted jewelry, and created theatrical sets and costumes. Among his writings are ballet scenarios and several books. Dali lived as an ascetic at the Chateau de Pubol and in the Museum of Figeras after the death of his wife, Gala, in 1982 and died on January 23rd, 1989.

Visit Virtual Salvador Dali, a virtual gallery of Salvador Dali's artwork, including hundreds of his paintings, a biography of his life, photographs of Dali, downloadable wallpapers, and more.