Salvador Dalí

About Salvador Dalí

Salvador Dalí (1904–1989) remains one of the most instantly recognizable figures in 20th-century art, securing the #110 rank in MIT's Historical Popularity Index for his profound global cultural impact. As a leading proponent of Surrealism, his dreamlike, often shocking imagery—exemplified in works like *The Persistence of Memory*—fundamentally altered the trajectory of modern painting and visual culture throughout his lifetime and beyond.

Despite this high historical standing, Dalí's current digital footprint shows an overattention relative to his peers: he garnered 1.4 million annualized Wikipedia views in 2025. This figure is exactly 2x what would be expected based purely on his HPI rank, suggesting his fame persists strongly online. Intriguingly, this attention is slightly lower than that given to fellow painter Frida Kahlo (#146 importance), who drew 2.3M views, though both artists hold significant weight in the modern cultural sphere.

Currently, Dalí's momentum suggests a slight waning of interest, with his 2025 momentum falling by 11% when comparing Q1 to Q3, accompanied by an 11.7% year-over-year drop in pageviews. This indicates that while his baseline visibility is high, the rate of engagement is slowing as 2025 concludes.