There’s an original Dali on the streets of Paris
If you don’t know it’s there, you’ll probably miss it, because no one would expect to see the work of one of the greatest artists of the 20th century hanging above an ordinary restaurant. In the heart of the Latin Quarter, once a gathering place for intellectuals and artists and now filled with souvenir shops and tourist traps, is a small, sand-colored sundial that blends in with the similarly beige wall on which it’s sealed.
A scallop-shaped sundial
Do its elegantly curved strokes and minimalist shapes remind you of anything? Salvador Dali’s final painting, Swallow’s Tail and Cellos, perhaps? That’s no coincidence, as the signature in the lower right-hand corner confirms. Dali supposedly created the sundial in 1966 for his friends who owned the shop below (now a cafe), and later donated it to the city.
If you’re wondering about the shell-like shape of the head, it’s a reference to the Rue Saint-Jacques where it’s located. Coquilles Saint-Jacques mean scallops in French, and the scallop shell is also a symbol used by those walking the pilgrimage route of Saint-Jacques de Compostelle, which leads from France to Dali’s native Spain, and from which the street got its name.
Intact but inaccurate
You may also have noticed the flaming, piercing blue eyes, which some theorize are a tribute to the sun – it is a sundial, after all – and the Dali-esque twirled moustache at the base of the neck, which suggests that it is a self-portrait. Unfortunately, because the wall it’s on is slightly tilted to the west, the shadow falls out of place and the watch won’t tell you the exact time.
It’s a small miracle that this work of art has remained in such good condition after all these years, and that it has remained under the radar despite being in plain sight in a hyper-touristy neighborhood.
Salvador Dali’s Sundial
27 Rue Saint-Jacques
5th arrondissement
Métro: Cluny la Sorbonne (10)
Find other hidden (art) gems
Discover a side of Paris you’ve never seen with our personal recommendations tailored to your needs and interests. Our personalized guides cover everything from art to restaurants, cafes, bars, nightclubs, fashion, concerts, sports, spas, parks, or whatever else you’re in the mood for. Learn more here.
