Philippe Halsman (American, 1906-1979) Dali Atomicus, 1948 gelatin silver print, printed later; the photographer's credit stamp on the reverse, framed 10 1/4 x 13 1/8 in. (26.2 x 33.3 cm.) sheet 10 7/8 x 14 1/8 in. (27.6 x 35.8 cm.) framed 17 1/4 x 21 1/4 in. (43.8 x 53.3 cm.) Footnotes: Provenance Sotheby's, New York, Photographs, 15-16 October 2007, Lot 221; Acquired by the current owner from the above. Literature Lerner, Sandy. Caticons: 4,000 Years of Art Imitating Cats, Ayrshire House Publishing, 2017, p. 116, illustrated. Artists Philippe Halsman (American, 1906-1979) and Salvador Dalí (Spanish, 1904-1989) met in 1941 when Halsman photographed a costume that Dalí had made for the Metropolitan Opera House. The two quickly became friends and collaborators. In 1948, after much deliberation, Dalí and Halsman decided to create an image that featured Dalí suspended in the air surrounded by cats and furniture, with water flying around him. It took twenty-six takes to produce the final photograph. During each take, assistants threw a bucket of water and the three cats into the air, while Dalí simultaneously jumped. A cat enthusiast himself, Dalí famously owned an ocelot named Babou whom he often took out and about the town in the 1960s. Dalí often brought him on a leash to restaurants and hotels, as well as took his feline friend on a transatlantic trip. The artist's surrealist views merged with his everyday life. To Dalí, cats embodied concepts of mystery, elegance, and unpredictability that fascinated him as an artist. More than just an exotic pet, Babou was an extension of Dalí's carefully cultivated public persona that blurred the line between performance and reality. For Dalí, animals were never simply companions; they were living ciphers that challenged convention and invited viewers to question the boundaries between the ordinary and the fantastical. Condition reports are not provided in catalog descriptions. The absence of a condition report does not guarantee that the lot is in good condition or free from damage and wear. We encourage you to request a condition report and/or additional photos prior to bidding on any lot. For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com For further information about this lot please visit the lot listing