Salvador Dalí – Paysage Fossile Imaginaire from Moon

Title: Paysage Fossile Imaginaire from Moon

Portfolio: Neuf Paysages

Medium: Etching

Year: 1980

Sheet Size: 14 7/8" x 14 7/8"

Signature: Signed in pencil

Edition Number: 46/49

Paysage Fossile Imaginaire is a haunting and paleontological etching from 1980, issued in a strictly limited edition of 49 impressions. Measuring 14 7/8" × 14 7/8" and signed by Dalí in pencil, the work envisions a landscape of imagined fossils — remnants of creatures and forms that never existed, preserved in stone as though time itself had been dreamed. It is among the most intellectually playful works in the suite, fusing Dalí's lifelong fascination with science, geology, and the unconscious into a single, quietly astonishing image.

This piece is part of Neuf Paysages ("Nine Landscapes"), a cohesive portfolio in which Dalí reimagines the landscape as a stage for surrealist reverie. Each of the nine etchings in the suite operates as both a standalone vision and a chapter in a larger poetic narrative, making the complete series one of the most compelling graphic achievements of his later career.

Salvador Dalí (1904–1989) stands as one of the most iconic and provocative figures of the twentieth century. Born in Figueres, Catalonia, Dalí became the defining voice of Surrealism, channeling the imagery of dreams, desire, and the subconscious into paintings, sculptures, and prints of extraordinary technical mastery. His printmaking practice — spanning etchings, lithographs, and woodcuts — allowed him to reach collectors worldwide, translating his hallucinatory vision into intimate, hand-signed editions. Works such as The Persistence of Memory cemented his place in art history, while his graphic suites demonstrated a virtuosity and wit that remain unmatched. Dalí's prints are held in major museum collections globally and continue to command significant attention at auction and in the finest private collections.