The Persistence Of Memory by Salvador Dali

The Persistence Of Memory is a drawing by Salvador Dali. He drew this piece of art in Spain in 1931. I believe that he had a strong message to the people while he was drawing it. This painting contains so many strong and important messages that we should be aware of. In my opinion the painter wants to say that time is something that runs off so quickly and that we have limited times so we shouldn't waste it, because our lives are short.

There are so many important objects that carries different messages. On the left of the picture we can see a red pocket watch that does not melt while other clocks are melting. The clock does not show the time. Its color is different and its size is different,too. It is much smaller than the other pocket watches. There are three other silver pocket watches that are melting. They all show different times. They are much bigger than the red clock. One of the clocks is hanging from a twig that is located in a table. There is an other rectangular shaped table behind the twig. There is a mountain and there is a rock; one of the clocks is melting on that rock. 

In the foreground there are three silver clocks that are melting and one red clock that is not melting. These three clocks that are melting show different times. They represent different humans, different lives since they all have different times. The clocks are melting so it means that these lives are going to end soon. It shows us that everyone has a limited amount of time. There is a twig on a table. I believe that the twig and a table has a contrast in them because twig is natural but tables was made by humans. There is also a rock. In the foreground we can't see light. The sun lights the background. 

In the background there is a mountain, a sea and a rectangular shaped wood. The sun lights the mountain so it gives us a positive feeling about the mountain. I think that the reason why the drawer made the background a background that makes viewers feel hopeful and positive about it might be to make a contrast between the foreground and the background. 

The colors that are used in this picture are mostly red or brown. It makes the drawing a little bit depressive since there are not much of light colors. In the background where the mountain is, there is more white than there is red or orange. I think it's because there is light in the mountain.

In the drawing there are only three clocks that are melting. The fourth clock is a red and a much smaller clock. I think that each of the clocks

that are melting represent a person's life, because they all show different hours. These clocks are representing that these lives have a limited time

and it's ending. The red clock doesn't melt because it might not represent a life; it might represent a normal clock or it might be a clock that has already melted. The mountain that is located behind the clocks might be representing the hope since there is light. 

The emotions that Dali wanted to give are sadness,fear,hope and  loneliness. Sadness appears in the colors. The colors are the ones that make the drawing look depressive and sad. Most of the colors that Dali chose to use are dark colors like red and brown. I believe that he gives the fear and loneliness with a picture of a lonely island. There is a fly on top of one of the silver clocks. That fly shows us that this place has abandoned or there were nobody there before. He gives the emotion of hope by using bright colors for the mountain. 

The most significant contrast in this drawing is the contrast of the colors and the lights. While there is light in the background, the foreground is dark. Another contrast is the contrast of natural and unnatural. The twig in this drawing is located on the top of a wooden table and there is a clock that is hanging from the twig. I believe that he made a contrast of what is natural and what is unnatural. 

I believe that this drawing has so many hidden messages and important informations. The clocks shouldn't be considered as just clocks; they represent somethings. Viewers should also consider the background; why there is a mountain and a wooden table?