The Tartan “El Son” by Salvador Dali

This painting portrays the image of a young boy sailing all alone through the sea and ready to overcome whatever obstacle may come his way all by himself.     This painting as ordinary as it appears is a symbol of the relationship between parents and son. The boy sailing is someone’s son who has left his home and is on the path of finding and making his own place in the world. But The Tartan “El Son” represents more than what it portrays for it symbolizes the parent’s purpose in the young boy’s life, which are not painted. The parents raise their children and teach them how to overcome the different obstacles that life may bring along and then when the son is ready to leave they have to let him. The parents can only watch their son leave and hope they raised him well in order that he can make it through but they can’t, or at least shouldn’t, help the young boy for it is his time to be on his own and build himself up all by himself.  Salvador Dali’s concept of fatherhood is that a father should do his best to raise his children and teach them what kinds of choice to make and why, how to reach success, etc. But then when the children are no longer children the father must leave them and take a passive role in their lives.

Biography:

“Dali- The Tartan “El Son” “Over Stock Art Oil Paintings. Web. 11/6/11. <http://www.overstockart.com/tartanelson.html>