Soft Construction with Boiled Beans (Premonition of Civil War) facts for kids

Soft Construction with Boiled Beans (Premonition of Civil War) is a famous painting created in 1936 by the Spanish surrealist artist Salvador Dalí. Dalí painted this artwork to show the terrible events of the Spanish Civil War. He finished it just six months before the war officially started.

Dalí later said that he knew the war was coming long before it began. He used this painting as proof of his "prophetic power," meaning he believed his subconscious mind could predict the future. However, some people think Dalí might have changed the painting's name after the war. This would have made his predictions seem even more accurate. The art expert Robert Hughes once said this painting was "the finest single work of visual art inspired by the Spanish Civil War."

What Does the Painting Look Like?

This painting is made with oil paints on a canvas. It is currently kept at the Philadelphia Museum of Art in the United States. Dalí finished the painting in 1936, but he started sketching ideas for it as early as 1934.

Dalí's Life During the Spanish Civil War

The Spanish Civil War was a very difficult time for Spain. Dalí and his wife, Gala, experienced some of the chaos firsthand. In 1934, they were caught in a major strike and a rebellion in Catalonia, their home region. This event likely influenced Dalí's ideas about the war.

Salvador and Gala managed to escape to Paris, France, where they got married. They hired someone to help them travel safely. Sadly, their escort died on his way back home because of the dangers of the war. When Dalí finally returned to his house in Port Lligat, it had been destroyed. He was also deeply affected by the war because his friend, the poet Federico García Lorca, was killed. His sister, Ana Maria, was also imprisoned and tortured.

What Does the Painting Mean?

This painting shows the great destruction and pain caused by the Spanish Civil War. The strange, monstrous creature in the painting seems to be tearing itself apart. This is like a civil war, where people from the same country fight each other, causing self-destruction.

Dalí did not intend for the painting to pick sides in the war. Even though he had personal reasons to support one side or another, he focused on the overall tragedy. His sister was hurt by communist soldiers, and his friend was killed by fascists.

The painting looks very realistic, even with its surreal (dream-like) elements. Humans cannot look like the creature in the painting, but its realistic style reminds viewers of the serious message behind it. Dalí also included traditional elements, like a beautiful Catalan sky. This creates a strong contrast with the idea of revolution and conflict.

There are many boiled beans scattered throughout the painting. Dalí once explained why he included them. He said it was because "one could not imagine swallowing all that unconscious meat without the presence of some mealy and melancholy vegetable." This means that during the war, there were many hardships. The Spanish people had to find ways to cope with their problems, no matter how difficult. Dalí explored how love, eating, and the war were all connected during this time.

See also

In Spanish: Construcción blanda con judías hervidas para niños

• List of works by Salvador Dalí