Salvador Dalí’s FlorDali Les Fruits suite was published by Jean Schneider and there are 340 prints in the authentic edition. The suite was divided into several issues on differing types of paper. The CL portion consists of 150 prints and were made on Auvergne paper. This paper was made in a paper mill in Auvergne, France and is well known for being a preferred paper for printmaking by artists such as Salvador Dalí and Pablo Picasso.
Fruit has been depicted in artworks throughout history, represented from the old masters to contemporary artists. This history of fruit represented in art dates to ancient Egypt as emblems of nourishment, abundance, differing seasons, fertility, pleasure, and the passage of time.
For Salvador Dalí, the sexuality of human beings in anthropomorphic form through animals, plants, trees, flowers, and fruits is explored in the FlorDali Les Fruits suite.
The forbidden fruit found in the biblical story of the Garden of Eden, include possibilities such as apples, figs, and grapes. It is also suggested that Adam and Eve wore loin cloths fashioned from fig leaves. Fig trees are mentioned several times throughout the Christian Bible and are often depicted as symbols for fertility and love in many other religions.
The fig tree can produce fruit throughout the year’s seasons so it can also be seen as a symbol for fortitude in life. Dalí illustrates the fig whole and cut in half, representing the cycle of life. The fruit is also attacking a human exemplifying the trials and tribulations of the cycles of life.