The Persistence of Memory

The Persistence of Memory
ArtistSalvador Dalí
Year1931 (1931)
Catalogue79018
MediumOil on canvas
MovementSurrealism
Dimensions24 cm × 33 cm (9.5 in × 13 in)
LocationMuseum of Modern Art, New York City
OwnerMuseum of Modern Art
Accession162.1934

The Persistence of Memory (Spanish: La persistencia de la memoria) is a 1931 painting by artist Salvador Dalí and one of the most recognizable works of Surrealism. First shown at the Julien Levy Gallery in 1932, since 1934 the painting has been in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City, which received it from an anonymous donor. It is widely recognized and frequently referred to in popular culture,[1] and sometimes referred to by more descriptive titles, such as "Melting Clocks", "The Soft Watches" or "The Melting Watches".[2]

  1. ^ "Dali, The Flamboyant Surrealist". The Vindicator. 28 January 1989. Retrieved 20 June 2011. The death of Salvador Dali evokes the image of his most famous painting, Persistence of Memory.
  2. ^ "The Persistence of Memory, 1931 - Salvador Dali". Wikiart. 2023-12-12. "Article": Lines 2-3. Retrieved 2024-06-23. Frequently referenced in popular culture, the small canvas (24x33 cm) is sometimes known as "Melting Clocks", "The Soft Watches" and "The Melting Watches".