The Golden Calf (Chariot Tarot Card) by Salvador Dalí

Salvador Dalí
1904-1989 | Spanish

The Golden Calf (Chariot Tarot Card)

Signed “Dalí” (lower center)
Gouache on a photographic base

This gouache exemplifies a unique fusion of spiritualism and Surrealism, originating from Salvador Dalí's highly inventive deck of custom-made tarot cards. In quintessential Dalí style, the renowned Surrealist reimagines the Chariot card in a vividly evocative manner, characterized by bold colors and dynamic symbolism. Dalí explored several iterations of the Chariot motif, with this gouache he titled The Golden Calf standing as a more vibrant counterpart to his final, darker, rendition. His fascination with the bright imagery in this original work continued beyond the tarot deck, inspiring a 1981 lithograph where he revived the bright, energetic palette seen in this gouache.

The original commission for the design came from Albert Broccoli, the James Bond film Live and Let Die producer, who sought a tarot card deck to use in the film. Though the contractual deal eventually fell through, Dalí continued the project of his own accord, largely thanks to the inspiration of his wife Gala, who had an interest in mysticism.

The Surrealist maestro drew upon a number of influences to complete the deck, which comprised 78 cards in total—22 major arcana and 56 minor. His own self-portrait served as the Magician card, while his beloved wife Gala naturally posed for the Empress. Jan Gossaert’s 1516 Renaissance work Neptune and Amphitrite was the basis for the Lovers card, while the Queen of Cups card represents a fascinating marriage of Duchamp’s iconic Mona Lisa remix, L.H.O.O.Q., with a portrait of Elizabeth of Austria. The iconography of the deck is as eclectic as one would expect from Dalí; it is little wonder that it took him ten years to complete the project.

This gouache represents a reinterpretation of the Chariot card, drawn from the original 22 Major Arcana cards and reimagined here as the Golden Calf. The term "Golden Calf" originates from the Hebrew Bible, specifically the Book of Exodus, where an idol was created by the Israelites while Moses was on Mount Sinai receiving the Ten Commandments. The Golden Calf symbolizes idolatry and the temptation to worship material objects instead of the divine. Here, the Golden Calf card serves as a poignant reminder of the pitfalls of materialism and the importance of maintaining spiritual integrity. It encourages individuals to reflect on their priorities and the potential consequences of their actions.

Interestingly, Dalí does not depict a literal golden calf in this artwork. Instead, the central composition features a necklaced bust with the superimposed image of an Egyptian pharaoh depicted on the Chariot card. The disproportionately sized icon in place of the figure's head suggests complex themes of identity and greed, inviting deeper contemplation on the nature of desire and the human experience. After Dalí completed his deck, the original cards were assembled and published in a limited art edition in 1984. While several editions have since been printed of the cards, the present Golden Calf is the artist’s original gouache and collage creation.

Born in Catalonia in 1904, Dalí was formally educated in the fine arts in Madrid, particularly falling under the influence of the Impressionists and the Renaissance masters. At a young age, he became associated with the Madrid avant-garde group Ultrae, though he eventually became more acquainted with avant-garde movements such as Cubism, Dada and Futurism. By the late 1920s, his mature Surrealist style had already begun to emerge, and in 1929 he officially burst onto the avant-garde art scene with his Un Chien Andalou, a short film he made with Spanish director Luis Buñuel.

Today, he is remembered as one of the most legendary and significant contributors to Surrealism. His Persistence of Memory, with its melting clocks, is arguably the most recognizable painting of the movement. Two museums—one in St. Petersburg, Florida and another in Catalonia—are entirely devoted to his oeuvre; other important works by the artist can be found in the Museum of Modern Art (New York), the Art Institute of Chicago, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the National Gallery of Art (Washington, D.C.), among many others.

The late Robert Descharnes confirmed the authenticity of this work.

Circa 1971

Paper: 11 1/4" high x 8 1/2" wide (28.58 x 21.59 cm)
Frame: 26 1/2" high x 23 1/4" wide x 2" deep (67.31 x 59.06 x 5.08 cm)

Exhibited:
Los Angeles, University of California, Dalí at UCLA, July 2001, p. 5 (illustrated)

Provenance:
The Salvador Dalí Gallery, California
Private Collection
M.S. Rau, New Orleans