One of the best-known and most visually influential artists of the 20th century, Salvadore Dali achieved fame on an international scale as both painter and celebrity. Bridging the gap between high art and popular culture, he created in his Surrealist works a startling imagery that moved freely into ...

One of the best-known and most visually influential artists of the 20th century, Salvadore Dali achieved fame on an international scale as both painter and celebrity. Bridging the gap between high art and popular culture, he created in his Surrealist works a startling imagery that moved freely into the Freudian world of the subconcious - and which has subsequently been widely adopted by media and advertising. Robert Radford traces Dali's career from the Spanish town of Figueras to membership of the Surrealist Circle in Paris, then on to New York and Hollywood - with the Spanish Civil War and World War II exploding in the background.