Figueres, 15 May 2004
The Theatre-Museum dome was the setting for a special draw of the National Lottery. With this event, open to all, the lottery organiser Loterías y Apuestas del Estado showed its wish to join in the centennial celebrations. The illustration chosen for the ticket on this occasion was the stereoscopic oil painting The Harmony of the Spheres, dating from 1979 (inv. no. 249). The initiative arose from the National Salvador Dalí Centenary Committee.
The first prize, carrying 3 million euros, was for number 67182, and went in its entirety to Sant Carles de la Ràpita (Tarragona). Overall, the draw awarded prizes to a total value of 42 million euros. The event was presided over by the Mayor of Figueres, Joan Armangué, and was also attended in their capacity as Commission members by the Foundation’s Manager, Joan Manuel Sevillano, the Councillor for Culture of Figueres Town Council, Isabel Pineda, and the State Lotteries Director, José Miguel Martínez. As always for the draw, the numbers were called out by the San Ildefonso orphanage children, assisted by the members of the Dansa Mediterrània troupe from Figueres. Part of the draw profits, 1,200 euros, was donated by the Lottery organisation to a Figueres association, the Bernat Jaume Social-Health Centre.
Historical background
This was not the first time, however, that an event of this type had been held at the Figueres museum. On 9 October 1976, while Salvador Dalí was still alive, the Lottery draw for the Hispanidad bank holiday was held there in an event forming part of the seminars for the 41st Assembly of the F.E.C.I.T. (Spanish Federation of Tourist Initiative Centres), held that year in Figueres. Dalí had already collaborated on several occasions with the Tourist Initiative Centre in Figueres in events to promote the city and the Empordà region. On that last occasion in 1976 he designed the anagram for the 41st assembly, as well as the poster for the bank-holiday draw. The original is on display in the entrance hall of the Theatre-Museum (inv. no. 528). Also related with this theme and to be found in the Noble Salon at the museum is a poster for the French national lottery, designed by Dalí in 1972 and which now forms part of the bedroom installation.
