The works in the Collection are by Salvador Dalí, although there are also works by other artists that he collected or selected to be part of his museums. These works can primarily be seen at the Dalí Theatre-Museum in Figueres, although some are preserved or form an intrinsic part of the house-museums in Portlligat and Púbol.
The works come from the personal collection that the artist donated for the creation of the Dalí Theatre-Museum, inaugurated on September 28, 1974. Among these are iconic paintings such as Self-Portrait with Raphael Collar (c.1921), The Specter of Sex Appeal (1934), Galarina and The Basket of Bread (1945), and Gala Placidia (1952). Salvador Dalí’s museographic project included installations like The Rainy Taxi that were created specifically for it. Works by artists close to him, such as Antoni Pitxot and Evarist Vallès, can also be seen, while the Masterpieces Room houses works by El Greco, Marcel Duchamp, Ernest Meissonier, William-Adolphe Bouguereau, Marià Fortuny, Modest Urgell, and Gerard Dou, all important references for the artist. Additionally, since 1991, the Gala-Salvador Dalí Foundation has carried out an intensive acquisition policy of Dalí’s works aimed at enriching the Collection, with the goal of fostering a better understanding of the artist’s career, thought, and life. One of the most notable acquisitions was the jewelry collection purchased in 2000, the result of collaboration with the American jewelers Alemany & Ertman. Among the most recent acquisitions are some works from the Surrealist period that allow exploration of Dalí’s true contribution to the movement that launched him onto the international stage.