Ayanna Nahmias, Editor-in-ChiefLast Modified: 15:20 p.m. EDT, 27 November 2009

Salvador Dalí's paintings and art are some of the most recognizable of the Surrealist movement. In large part, he achieved this through a rare combination of creative genius and marketing savvy.

Anyone who has read the biography of great artists, or watched movies about their lives, will undoubtedly note that these artists rarely achieved fame or monetary success during their lifetimes.

Salvador Dalí, by contrast, lived as a celebrity artist, fully inhabiting his unique, and some might say eccentric role as commentator and translator.  Not all of his images are as clean and accessible as René Magritte's work, however, they are captivating at a less cerebral level.

Therefore, when I was recently shopping at a local discount store, and I came across two large, coffee table books featuring the lives and works of Salvador Dalí and Claude Monet, I was excited to locate these at a discount clothing store of all places. I have many art books, but because they are expensive I take great care in preserving them, unlike my son, who is a typical kid.

So, when I saw these two, I immediately purchased them because I figured if my son didn't like them or damaged them in any manner, it wouldn't be a great loss.

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It was a pleasant surprise to see that my son's favorite was the Dalí book. In fact, he likes it so much, that he carries it around with him everywhere. This observation reinforced my assertion that Dalí is one of the most effective of the Surrealist painters. He is unparalleled in his ability to evoke primal emotions through his paintings and art, and one does not have to possess an advanced degree in Art History to feel a connection to his work.

This I believe is part of the reason for the enduring fascination that the public has with the man and his art, and the reason why I have chosen to feature his work.

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• Today's Birthday: SALVADOR DALÍ (1904) (euzicasa.wordpress.com)
• House-museum Salvador Dalì (flaneriefeminine.com)
• Who'd steal an empty, pretentious Dalí? (guardian.co.uk)
• Salvador Dalí: The Making of an Artist by Flammarion (hypebeast.com)