Original drypoint etching with stencil from the series “La Fontaine’s Bestiary Dalinized”

Title: “The Oak and the Reed”

Hand-signed by Salvador Dalí and numbered: LXXXVI/CXX (86/120)

Luxury edition of only 120 pieces

Printed on Vélin Richard de Bas paper in 1974

Size: 73 x 93 cm

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Artwork Essay

“The Oak and the Reed” is one of Jean de La Fontaine’s most famous fables. In this allegorical tale, a mighty oak mocks the delicate reed for its flexibility, bending to every breeze. Yet when a powerful storm arrives, the oak is uprooted, while the reed survives, having yielded to the wind instead of resisting it.

Moral: Strength sometimes lies not in force, but in flexibility. The fable teaches humility, adaptability, and quiet resilience in the face of hardship. Dalí illustrates this timeless lesson through his signature surrealist lens, transforming the classical theme into a dreamlike visual allegory. The engraving captures not just the narrative, but the emotional undercurrents of pride, fragility, and endurance — reimagined with Dalí’s unique sense of symbolism and fantastical distortion.