What is the title of Dalí's 1952-54 reinterpretation of 'The Persistence of Memory'?

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The title of Dalí’s 1952–54 reinterpretation of “The Persistence of Memory” is “The Disintegration of the Persistence of Memory.” Dalí painted it in oil on canvas as a later re-creation of his famous 1931 image.

The newer work keeps recognizable elements such as soft watches and the landscape associated with Cadaqués, but breaks them apart. Floating, brick-like forms suggest matter dividing into atoms, while water separates the scene into above- and below-surface worlds. Dalí also added a fourth melting watch.

The painting reflects his growing interest in nuclear physics after the first atomic-bomb explosions in 1945. This is a common source of confusion: “The Persistence of Memory” is the original 1931 painting, while “The Disintegration of the Persistence of Memory” is its later, more fragmented counterpart. The work is held by the Salvador Dalí Museum in St. Petersburg, Florida.

Source: Wikipedia · fact-checked Sept. 2026

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