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Salvador Dali (1904-1989) – Shitakiri (The tongue-cut sparrow)
Drypoint etching with stencil from 1974.
The edition of XVII/LXXV on Richard de Bas paper.
Dimensions of work: 66 x 52 cm.
Hand signed.
Publisher: Gerschmann, Stockholm/ Yayoi, Tokyo.
Reference: Field 76-1 J; Michler/Löpsinger 744.
The work is in Excellent condition.
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Shitakiri (The Tongue-Cut Sparrow) – The moral tale of greed and humility, reminding viewers of life’s true values.
An elderly man’s kindness to a wounded sparrow is repaid with gratitude, while his wife’s greed leads to ruin. Dalí presents this fable as a confrontation between harmony and chaos. The composition juxtaposes delicate avian motifs with angular, disruptive forms — a visual metaphor for moral imbalance. The gentle pochoir tones recall traditional Japanese woodblock palettes, but the psychological tension within the scene is purely Surrealist. It stands as a moral and aesthetic conclusion to the series, merging compassion, transformation, and the search for balance.
