Salvador Dali, the Spanish Surrealist painter, was a highly-skilled draughtsman, made famous by his striking and bizarre images. His most popular work, The Persistence of Memory (1931), led him to critical acclaim; however, he was also well known for his work in sculpture, photography, fashion, movies, and books. He was an eccentric artist whom was often as well known for his attention-seeking antics as he was for his work.

Besides The Persistence of Memory, Dali's other most important and influential works include The Temptation of St. Anthony, Dream Caused by the Flight of a Bee around a Pomegranate a Second before Waking Up, and The Enigma of William Tell. The Persistence of Memory is probably one of Dali's most recognizable works, which first introduced the image of soft, melting pocket watches and his theory of "softness" and "hardness" that were central to his thinking during his Freudian phase in the early 1930s.

Animals also featured widely in Dali's work, including the elephant, lobster, and rhinoceros, which he believed symbolized the Virgin Mary. Dali found his favored muse and lifelong companion, Gala, early in his life. She was to be an inspiration in many of his works and was instrumental in bringing Dali the worldwide recognition he deserved, both during his lifetime and into the 21st century.