The Tiny Masterpiece of Melting Time

Salvador Dali’s iconic painting of melting clocks is surprisingly small. Measuring only 9.5 by 13 inches, this surrealist masterpiece is barely larger than a standard sheet of notebook paper.

Despite its global fame as a massive symbol of Surrealism, the actual canvas is incredibly intimate in scale. It was created in 1931 and sold for just 250 dollars shortly after its debut. An anonymous donor gifted it to the Museum of Modern Art in 1934, where it remains a hidden gem for visitors expecting a much larger mural. Many people are shocked to see how such a small painting commands such massive cultural attention.