Salvador Dalí’s fascinating tribute to Buster Keaton
In the history of 20th-century art, Salvador Dalí is one of the towering pioneers without whom art – as we know it today – wouldn’t exist. Dalí’s power to construct surreal images has left an indelible mark on popular culture, but the artist was inspired by another medium – cinema.
As one of the first generations of artists who were introduced to cinema, Dalí was greatly influenced by the geniuses of silent cinema. Including the likes of Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton and Harry Langton, Dalí’s obsession with the cinematic medium inspired his unique vision of the world.
Not just that, his love for silent films also informed many of his works. In paintings like ‘Apparatus and Hand’, Dalí’s appreciation of Buster Keaton was evident. That particular work was influenced by Keaton’s 1922 short The Electric House, a fascinating commentary on modernity.
Among all the great artists who facilitated the evolution of cinema during its earliest years, Keaton had a special place in Dalí’s heart. Curator Matthew Gale, in a conversation with The Independent, pointed out that Keaton’s gift for physical comedy and his mastery over the deadpan face delighted Dalí.
Gale said: “He particularly admired Keaton for his lack of emotional expression. In his film Go West, for example, you see Keaton with a gun held to his head. He is told to ‘Smile’, and he uses his fingers to push up the corners of his mouth instead of smiling. It was this sort of direct and deadpan expression – and Keaton’s ability to convey this physically – that Dali admired.”
In addition, Dalí was undoubtedly moved by Keaton’s preoccupation with anarchic architecture, which is evident in his mind-blowing shorts, such as One Week and Steamboat Bill, Jr. The artist famously called Keaton’s filmmaking “anti-artistic”, describing his works as “pure poetry”.
Dalí was so indebted to Keaton that he actually made a collage titled The Marriage of Buster Keaton, referencing the film star’s marriage to Natalie Talmadge. Thankfully, some Keaton fans have also provided a translation of the text in the collage (via busterkeaton.org):
And so he sent a telegram to Natalie Talmadge “ I love you. Will you be my wife?”
But the answer came as concise as the declaration. “No”
“Why not?”
And this time, the most absolute silence was the reply.
Buster resigned.
Time passes…
and he sends a telegram saying, “Natalie, Can I come and see her?”
“Come immediately, because when we return to New York, Natalie wants to be Mrs. Buster Keaton.”
Check out the tribute below.
