The Persistence of Memory is an oil painting on canvas by Salvador Dalí, completed in 1931. It is one of the most recognizable works by Dalí and is often considered to be a Surrealist masterpiece. The painting depicts the artist’s hometown of Figueres in Catalonia, Spain. In the center of the painting is a large rock formation with a watch face carved into it. The watch is melting, and the hands are drooping. This image is often interpreted as a symbol of the ephemeral nature of time. To the right of the rock formation is a tree with its branches bent in strange, organic shapes. And in the background is the sea, which Dalí often used as a metaphor for death.