Salvador Dali was one of the most famous painters, being the epitome of surrealist art. His artwork in “The Elephants” is one that is world renown as symbolizing great strength, supremacy, authority, and of desire.
An elephant on it’s own is a symbol of luck, strength, and dominance.
However, in Dali’s depiction, the elephants do not have the thick, powerful trunk-like legs that are true to as we know them in nature. The legs are long and lanky. The meaning behind this is thought to be that the elephants are SO strong and powerful, they can transform themselves and tower over others. It is their desire to be tall and strong, not just large and strong. It was their hopefulness and willfulness that brought them to their desired goal. These elephants saw no exception, so instead they are creators of their own world.
For a man, being strong is so much more than muscles and weight lifting. It is an inner strength, a willfulness and a hopefulness to achieve his goals that make him extraordinary. Dali’s interpretation is a form of body art that says, “This man is balanced in strength. He is powerful both physically, mentally, and spiritually.” It sets the standard that if this man had a goal and the desire to achieve it, there is no questioning whether he can or will. This man is a man of his word and of great character, and is one that can be trusted, counted on, and relied on.
While his artwork lives on, our tattoos will live the next 30+ years of our lives. You may not have the memory of an elephant, but these tats will definitely leave an impression:
