Famous Nappers 3
Salvador Dalí: master of the non-nap and progenitor of the "slumber with a key" technique
In 1948, Salvador Dalí, one of the best known surrealist painters and himself a Spaniard, published 50 Secrets of Magic Craftsmanship, consecrated to “sav[ing] Modern Art from chaos and laziness.” We’ve talked at length about napping and laziness, and I think it’s noteworthy that in this effort to combat laziness, he provides detailed napping instructions.
Dalí’s instructions:
Sit in a bony armchair (preferably Spanish style)
Tilt your head back and rest it on the chair back
Hang your hands off the chair arms and relax them completely
Delicately hold a heavy key between your left thumb and forefinger
Relax, nod off, and let the key fall from your hands and wake you
Dalí says that this kind of nap need only take less than a quarter of a second (“sleeping without sleeping,” he says). He warns that anything longer would be harmful to your work. Interesting, as we typically go 20-60 min. Will have to give it a shot.
Dalí is off his chain in this piece — going to dive in further in a future post.