Salvador Dalí Signed Lithographs: A Buyer's Guide to Authentic Works
I have handled Dalí's prints for twenty years, and I will say plainly what most dealers say only among themselves: no artist's graphic work is more often misrepresented. That is not a reason to avoid a Salvador Dalí lithograph. It is a reason to buy one carefully. This guide explains how the market became so confused, which catalogues raisonnés are the references, and what the paperwork with a real Dalí should look like.
Why Dalí's graphic works need particular care
For most of Dalí's career, his prints were produced in the conventional way: he created the image, it was printed in a limited edition, and he signed the impressions.
The situation became more complicated later in his career. Dalí sometimes signed sheets in advance that were intended for future impressions of his own work. This was largely practical: editions might be printed elsewhere or at a later date, and Dalí was increasingly reluctant or unable to travel simply to sign the completed impressions. Signing the paper beforehand allowed authorized editions of his work to be completed without requiring his presence.
The problem was not necessarily Dalí's intention, but what happened to some of these pre-signed sheets afterward. Unscrupulous parties were able to misuse them, in some instances printing unauthorized images onto paper already bearing Dalí's genuine signature. This created a particularly difficult authentication problem: a work could carry an authentic Dalí signature on appropriate paper while the image or edition itself was not authorized by the artist.
The authentication of Dalí's graphic work has consequently become a field in which documentation and catalogue references are especially important.
The practical lesson is simple: with Dalí, a genuine pencil signature alone is not enough to establish authenticity. The image itself, the edition, the paper, the publisher and, above all, its correspondence with the documented catalogue raisonné must all be considered together.
The catalogues raisonnés: the references for a Dalí graphic work
There are two catalogues raisonnés that help with authentication: Michler & Löpsinger, "Dali – Catalogue Raisonné", Vol. I–II, and Albert Field's The Official Catalog of the Graphic Works of Salvador Dalí. Field was Dalí's official archivist, and the Salvador Dalí Archives in New York, which he established with Dalí's approval, continue under his successor, Frank Hunter. These are the references we cite on our Dalí print listings.
Each work has its own number in these catalogues. In our listings, for example, the four lithographs of the 1978 Retrospective suite are referenced as Field 78-10 A, B, C and D. When you see a Field number and/or a Michler & Löpsinger number on a certificate, you can open the catalogue and check the image, the size, the edition and the paper against the artwork in front of you.
If a Dalí graphic work is not included in either catalogue, it cannot be considered a genuine original work by Dalí.
Salvador Dalí signed lithograph: what to look for on the artwork
Once you have the catalogue raisonné entry, examine the artwork itself.
- The signature and numbering. On the signed Dalí lithographs in our collection, the pencil signature is at the lower right and the numbering at the lower left. A number such as 48/150 includes the edition size, which must agree with the catalogue. Artist's proofs are marked E.A. or A.P., and our Terminology page explains these annotations.
- The paper. Both catalogues record the paper for each edition. The Retrospective lithographs, for instance, are printed on Japon paper. A print on the wrong paper is a warning sign, no matter how good the signature looks.
What a proper Certificate of Authenticity should show
With Dalí, the Certificate of Authenticity matters, and so does the name of its issuer. A Certificate that says only "signed Dalí lithograph" is worth nothing. A proper one should state:
- the title, the technique and the year of creation
- the image and paper dimensions
- the edition size and the numbering of this impression
- where the signature and numbering appear on the artwork
- the catalogue raisonné reference, which may be Field and/or Michler & Löpsinger
- the name, address and signature of the issuer, and the date
Every line should be something a third party can verify. At Chali-Rosso, each work comes with a Certificate of Authenticity based on catalogue raisonné entries and trusted references, and these can be checked by independent authenticators, as explained on our Authenticity page. We stand behind every work as original with a lifetime guarantee.
Some works carry further documentation. Our Symphony Bicyclette (price on request), a 1970 lithograph hand signed and numbered 101/200 and referenced as Field 70-4, has been authenticated and certified by the Salvador Dalí Archives in New York, with Frank Hunter's signature on the verso.
Salvador Dalí lithograph value: what drives the price
Once authenticity is established, value depends on several factors.
- Signature and catalogue entry. A hand-signed impression that matches its catalogue raisonné entry is the baseline for everything that follows.
- Edition size. Smaller editions are scarcer.
- The image. Strong, characteristic images of his personal mythology, such as Gala, the elephant, the crutch and the melting clocks, attract the most interest.
- Condition. Works on paper are particularly sensitive to light, humidity and acidic framing materials. Over time, exposure to these elements can affect their condition and, consequently, significantly reduce their value. Fortunately, proper framing, careful display and appropriate storage can greatly reduce these risks and help preserve a work for generations.
- Completeness and documentation. A complete suite with its original portfolio case and certificates has an added collecting value compared with individual artworks from the suite.
To give a realistic sense of the market, most of the signed Dalí lithographs in our collection are priced between $3,750 and $8,750, while rarer works, such as Symphony Bicyclette, are priced on request. The Retrospective Suite is a good example of how rarity, edition, materials and presentation come together. The four lithographs were created in 1978, each hand signed by Dalí in pencil lower right and numbered 48/150 lower left. They were printed on Japon paper and each is preserved in its original silver portfolio case with Dalí's embossed Certificate of Authenticity. They are The Agony of Love (The Unicorn) ($7,950, Field 78-10 D), The Path to Wisdom (The Banker) ($7,500, Field 78-10 B), The Flowering of Inspiration (Gala en Fleurs) ($8,750, Field 78-10 C) and The Lance of Chivalry (St. George and the Dragon) ($7,500, Field 78-10 A). The complete suite, which also includes a .999 silver medallion titled "Peace", is described on our Dalí Dreams: Retrospective page.
A short Salvador Dalí lithograph list from our collection
These are some of the Dalí lithographs currently at the gallery, with their catalogue raisonné references:
- Couple Nus and Femme nue de dos, 1970, edition of 120 (Field 70-8 E and 70-8 H)
- Symphony Bicyclette, 1970, edition of 200 (Field 70-4)
- Changes in Great Masterpieces, 1974: our three lithographs from this suite are Dalí's homages to Raphael, Velázquez and Rembrandt, edition of 350 (Field 74-2)
- La Jungle Humaine, 1976: L'Hirondelle (The Swallow), from the artist's proof edition (E.A.) of 50 (Field 76-2 D)
- The Twelve Apostles, 1977: The Watcher, with gold inlays, edition of 350 (Field 77-14 H)
- The Lyle Stuart Tarot, 1978, edition of 250 (Field 78-1)
- Retrospective, 1978, edition of 150 (Field 78-10 A to D)
- Dream of a Horseman, 1979, edition of 100 (Field 79-14)
Why collectors trust us with Dalí
Dalí has been at the heart of this gallery for many years, and between 2014 and 2019 our Definitely Dalí exhibitions brought his monumental bronzes, including Dance of Time, Woman Aflame, Dalinian Dancer and Space Venus, to public spaces in Vancouver.
Browse our Salvador Dalí collection
You can see every Dalí work currently at the gallery in our Salvador Dalí collection. If a particular lithograph interests you, email gallery@chalirosso.com or call 604.733.3594 for a price and condition report. Submit an inquiry; we offer installment plans in some cases. If you own a Dalí graphic work and have questions about it, send us photographs of the artwork and any distinguishing marks, such as signature or numbering, with any paperwork.
Frequently asked questions
How can I tell if a Salvador Dalí lithograph is real?
Start with the catalogues raisonnés. The image, dimensions, edition size and paper of your artwork should all match the entry, and the numbering should agree with the recorded edition size. Then make sure the Certificate of Authenticity names the catalogue number and an issuer you can contact.
Are Dalí lithographs signed by Dalí himself?
Genuine Dalí lithographs, etchings and woodcuts are hand signed in pencil by Dalí, usually lower right, and numbered lower left.
What is the Albert Field catalogue?
Albert Field's The Official Catalog of the Graphic Works of Salvador Dalí is one of the reference books for Dalí's prints. Field was Dalí's official archivist and founded the Salvador Dalí Archives in New York with the artist's approval. Each work has its own catalogue number; The Flowering of Inspiration, for example, is referenced as Field 78-10 C.
Does a Certificate of Authenticity guarantee a Dalí print is genuine?
Only if the certificate is specific and its issuer stands behind it. A good certificate gives the title, technique, date, dimensions, edition, impression number, signature position and catalogue raisonné number, and each of these can be checked independently. We back each work in our gallery with a lifetime guarantee of originality.