Cosmic Surrealism: Salvador Dalí's 'La Conquête du Cosmos' Plates
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This is a rare, limited-edition set of six porcelain cabinet plates featuring designs by the iconic Surrealist master, Salvador Dalí (1904–1989). The plates were executed in 1974 by the esteemed French porcelain house Limoges as a collectible series based on Dalí's graphic suite, "La Conquête du Cosmos" (The Conquest of the Cosmos).

The collection fuses Dalí's fascination with contemporary science"”specifically the 1957 launch of Sputnik and the burgeoning space race"”with his characteristic Surrealist iconography (crutches, melting figures, and bizarre hybrid creatures). Each plate is a transfer-print reproduction of an original Dalí work from the series of twelve etchings, signed with a facsimile of the artist's signature.

This set is numbered 1639/4000 on the reverse and includes the following six titles:

1. Philosophe écrasé par le Cosmos (Philosopher Crushed by the Cosmos)
2. Les Montres Gélatines de L'espace Temps (The Gelatinous Watches of Space-Time)
3. Dalí Martien muni d'un double microscope Holo-électrique (Martian Dalí Equipped with a Double Holo-Electric Microscope)
4. Girafe Saturnienne (Saturnian Giraffe)
5. Le Caducée de Mars alimenté par la boule de feu de Jupiter (The Caduceus of Mars Nourished by the Ball of Fire of Jupiter)
6. L'unicorne lazer désintègre les cornes de rhinocéros cosmique (The Unicorn Laser Disintegrates the Horns of the Cosmic Rhinoceros)

"• Artist: Salvador Dalí (1904–1989)
"• Manufacturer: Limoges (France)
"• Series: Le Conquête du Cosmos
"• Date: 1974
"• Medium: Transfer-printed Porcelain, with light blue rim
"• Edition: Limited Edition Number 1639 of 4000
"• Dimensions: 8 3/4 inches (Diameter) x 1 inch (Height)
"• Condition: Good, with one plate (L'unicorne lazer...) having a tiny, invisibly repaired chip at the rim.

Historical Context

The "La Conquête du Cosmos" series represents a pivotal moment in Dalí's later career, known as his "Nuclear Mysticism" period. Beginning in the 1950s, Dalí became obsessed with science, mathematics, and the atomic age, attempting to reconcile his deeply rooted Catholic faith and classical painting techniques with modern physics and technology.

The initial series was a portfolio of twelve original etchings published in 1974. The Limoges porcelain editions, created under license, made Dalí's cosmic visions accessible to collectors of decorative art. The plates are more than simple reproductions; they capture the artist's unique interpretation of space travel, which, for Dalí, was a metaphysical journey.

"• Philosophe écrasé par le Cosmos: References the philosophical concept that man's traditional wisdom and physical body (represented by the crushed, melting figure) are overwhelmed by the vast, incomprehensible forces of the Universe.

"• Les Montres Gélatines...: A return to Dalí's most famous motif"”the melting clock"”here re-contextualized for space, symbolizing the relativity and plasticity of time-space as experienced in the cosmos.

"• L'unicorne lazer...: Juxtaposes the mythical, pure unicorn (representing art/mysticism) with the scientific laser, showing them working together to conquer a cosmic rhinoceros (Dalí's symbol for divine geometry and brute force).
The production of high-end, limited-edition dinnerware by major Surrealist figures like Dalí and Jean Cocteau was a defining characteristic of the post-war art market, bridging the gap between fine art and luxury objects.

References

"• Field, Albert. The Official Catalog of the Graphic Works of Salvador Dali. (References the original etchings of the Conquest of the Cosmos series, N. 74–12).

"• Limoges Porcelain Archives. Documents the authorized limited edition production runs of Salvador Dalí's designs during the 1970s.

"• Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) and The Salvador Dalí Museum (St. Petersburg, FL). Collections and research referencing Dalí's "Nuclear Mysticism" period and his interest in cosmology.

(Ref: NY10261-iumx)


Condition:
Alterations: Original Condition Unaltered
Imperfections: Some Imperfections
Condition Notes: Good with one, L'unicorne lazer desintegre les cornes de rhinoceros cosmique, with a tiny, tiny chip repaired invisibly at 2 o'clock (see last photo).

Dimensions:
Height: 1 in.
Width: 8.75 in.
Depth: 8.75 in.

Category: Dinnerware
Origin: France
Materials: Engraving, Porcelain
Creator: Brand: Limoges, France; Artist: Salvador Dalí

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Location: This item ships from Downingtown, PA

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Original Condition Unaltered; Some Imperfections; Good with one, L'unicorne lazer desintegre les cornes de rhinoceros cosmique, with a tiny, tiny chip repaired invisibly at 2 o'clock (see last photo).