By many, Salvador Dalí is considered one of the most influential and revolutionary artists of the early 20th century. Throughout his life, Dalí was influenced by many things: his childhood, his travels in Europe, the Dada philosophy and the numerous artistic movements of the 20th century. Salvador Dalí experimented with many different styles that stemmed from the changing world around him. Dalí was a revolutionary artist as well as a talented promoter. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get Original Essay On May 11, 1904, Dalí was born as Salvador Felipe Jacinto Dalí y Domenech to very caring and supportive parents in Figueres, Spain. He was born nine months after the birth of his older brother; this brother, also called Salvador, died of gastroenteritis shortly before Salvador Dalí was born. Dalí's parents always believed that Salvador was the reincarnation of his brother; Dalí thought his brother died because “he was probably an early version of myself, but conceived too much in the absolute.” At a young age, Salvador Dalí expressed himself through art and his parents supported this artistic inclination. They built him an art studio in their home before he even attended art school so he could develop his talent as an artist. When he turned twelve, Dalí was sent to a famous art school called Colegio de Hermanos Maristas e Instituto. Dalí was able to cultivate his talent as a painter among young and creative minds. When Dalí was 16, his mother died of breast cancer. This event had a profound effect on Dalí's outlook on life. Salvador Dalí realized that this event entailed two tragedies: his mother died and he will be forgotten. Dalí loved his mother very much because she strongly supported him and his artistic expression. As a child, she loved her paintings and was dedicated to her art. When he died, Dalí feared that he would leave no trace in the world. He promised to be known throughout his life. At the age of 15, Dalí held his first art exhibition at the Municipal Theater of Figueres. This was a public art exhibition showcasing his talent with charcoal paintings. He learned many other methods when he attended the Academia de San Fernando in Madrid. In this academy, Dalí took part in many movements such as Cubism, Surrealism, Metaphysics and Realism. Dalí took this time to experiment and understand the factors behind each style. He copied the styles of classics like Rafael and Bronzino. He also dabbled in avant-garde movements such as Dada; it was an anti-establishment movement that began shortly after the First World War. Dadaists believed that the root cause of the Great War was the logic behind capitalism and imperialism. During war, countries fought for other countries and for superiority. The Dada revolution focused on morals and ethics that oppose war (in general). Some believed that the current state of the world was a place of mutual destruction. Instead of looking around and protecting each other, countries would turn their backs on the world's problems and imperialize. Many artists fought the ideology that accompanied the war by creating art. But the art created in this movement was different from other arts. The art was not aesthetically pleasing because that was not its purpose. The purpose was to inform the public and make a statement. The Dada movement was born out of a period of economic and political turmoil and post-war depression. Most often, Dalí's paintings were associated with three themes: the universe of man, sexual sensations and ideographic images. Dalí painted often. 2016.