Tuna Fishing
Artist	Salvador Dalí
Year	1966-67
Medium	Oil on canvas
Location	Foundation Paul Ricard, Ile de Bandol
Dimensions	119.65 in × 159.06 in
	304 cm × 404 cm

Salvador Dalí painted Tuna Fishing in 1967 towards the end of his illustrious career. Many are of the opinion that it was in fact Dali’s last true masterpiece. The painting was dedicated to Jean Louis Ernest Meissonier who was a French painter of the 19th century known for his depictions of battle scenes. In this regard, the creation was subtitled Homage to Meissonier. Dali himself once was quoted as saying it was his most ambitious work due solely to this dedication. It is currently owned by the Foundation Paul Ricard, a private collection in France.

Meaning

This artwork depicts men acting violently toward large fish. As long golden daggers stab the aquatic creatures, the once pristine blue waters turn to a blood red. To Dali, the men and the fish they are killing personify the universe. It represents a specific and frantic, compressed space that the world can sometimes be.

Art Technique

Tuna Fishing represents a compilation of the many different art form’s Mr. Dali experimented with in his 40 years as an artist. Primarily it is considered part of the Surrealism movement. However, it also includes styles such as Action painting, Op and Pop Art, Pointillism, Psychedelic and Tachisme.