Which surrealist group leader expelled Salvador Dalí in 1939?

André Breton expelled Salvador Dalí from the Surrealist group in 1939.

Breton was the principal theorist and organizer of the Paris-based Surrealist movement. Dalí joined the group in the late 1920s and became one of its most visible artists, contributing dreamlike images and developing his paranoiac-critical method.

Relations deteriorated because of Dalí’s political ambiguity, his commercial activities, and disputes with other Surrealists. His fascination with authoritarian imagery and his refusal to conform to the group’s expectations made him increasingly controversial. In 1939, Breton and other members formally expelled him.

Breton later mocked Dalí with the nickname “Avida Dollars,” an anagram referring to the artist’s perceived commercialism. Dalí continued to identify with Surrealist ideas even after the expulsion, but his relationship with the organized movement had ended. Breton should not be confused with Buñuel, Dalí’s film collaborator.