Salvador Dalí, a well-known surrealist artist of the twentieth century has created many magnificent paintings throughout his life. One of his most famous works of art is “The Elephants” which was finished in 1948. This painting includes two elephants that are suspended in the air on thin, stick-like legs. The colors used in this work are ordinary; yet tell a much larger story once examined. This simple, yet surreal painting conveys multiple stories and can represent many different elements. Dalí’s painting of these elephants represents the weight one must carry on themselves and the strength it must take for them to do so. 

The first reaction Dalí’ draws from examining  “The Elephants” is a feeling of relaxation or calmness followed by suspense. Having the elephants on legs similar to stilts creates a feeling in the audience as if the legs could snap and break at any moment. This feeling then turns back into a tranquil sensation as the colors of the sky ease the mind. The specific colors, and how Dalí uses them, create a serene background that could either represent a sunrise or sunset. The shadows casted by the positioning of the sun show that it is either early morning or late evening. The gradient of shade in the sky sets a more soothing sensation as compared to the elephants themselves. The landscape in the background is near barren, with two small human figures situated next to each elephant, and a small house painted just to the left of the center. These minimalistic details add a great amount of conversation to the piece as the audience might wonder what drove Dalí to add such miniscule figures in comparison to the massive elephants. 

Taking the painting and dividing it into quadrants can aid the audience to further decipher the meaning of Dalí’s work, as well as honing in on the detailing of his art. Starting in the upper left-hand quadrant, the audience can take note of the skill used in painting the elephant. There are multiple things that the elephant on the left shares with his companion, one of them being the moss hanging from the body as well as the trunk. The spectators might take into consideration Dalí’s Spanish heritage in concluding the plant used to adorn the elephants is Spanish moss. Upon further inspection, the stone floating above the elephant can be identified as having symbols engraved on it, including an eye, several circles, and an etching resembling a mountain. Under the floating stone, a piece of cloth with much detail is resting on the elephants back. On the head, a matching piece of cloth covers the elephant. In comparison to the right elephant, the left has a more dominant stance, with the trunk lifted to the sky, his head held high, and legs slightly bent. The elephant in the upper right-hand quadrant has his trunk lowered with his head slightly downturned. Although the right elephant appears to be superior in size compared to the left, he is placed in a more submissive position with straight legs. The lower half of the painting is very simple, with a slightly larger mountain and the figure of a man in the lower left quadrant and a few rolling hills with the figure of an angel in the lower right quadrant. Situated slightly to the left of the center is a small hut, which resembles an ancient Greek temple that has been ornamented with a diamond in the center.

One theory as to why Dalí might have included these figures is that the elephants represent the two humans next to them. The argument of this is that the two stone pillars carried by each elephant are problems or stress felt by the figures. Once the audience observes the picture in further detail, it can be seen that the pillars are in fact floating on top of the elephants. This signifies that any problem is only temporary, and the weight on the elephant’s shoulders can be lifted at any moment. The feeling of the elephants is that no matter the weight or frustration felt, being able to stand tall above the crowd on what might seems like stilts is most important. The elephants also represent strength with their ability to carry their own body weight plus that of a large stone on such thin and weak legs. Having the stones floating on the backs of the elephants allows the audience to interpret the painting in a number of different ways. Some of these include theories of the elephants being a metaphor of civilization and how the weight of decisions made by those in power places an unbearable burden on the citizens while the officials, or the two figures at the bottom of the painting, are left to watch their people struggle. Another theory can be as personal as having the elephants represent a weight or strain in the audience’s life that only they are aware of.  This can vary from person to person, but Dalí has discovered a way to create a painting that can be interpreted by many different people in numerous ways. The layout and composition of the painting is very simple, but the detailing of the elephants and the perfect gradation of the sky are complex. These two styles of simplicity and sophistication work in harmony to allow the audience to focus on one portion of the painting at a time in detail. 

“The Elephants” by Salvador Dalí have many different interpretations, and the surrealistic aspect of the elephants creates a suspended and on edge feeling, while the colors of the sky are calm and relaxing. Dalí painting the elephants with similar overall characteristics forces the audience to take a closer look and intently study how they differ and what is happening in the painting. Every detail is very important when observing the painting, since Dalí has many discreet images and symbols in different parts of the art. Although there are many different theories attributed to this painting, the idea that is most prominent is that the elephants are a representation of the burden and problems many face, and how every problem could easily be resolved in an instant. 
