Who painted “The Persistence of Memory,” famous for its melting clocks?

Salvador Dalí

"The Persistence of Memory," painted in 1931 by Salvador Dalí, is one of the most iconic surrealist works, often interpreted as a reflection on the relativity of time. Dalí was inspired by slices of Camembert cheese melting in the sun, as he himself explained. This dreamlike vision of time flowing and deforming in an unreal manner has captivated the imagination of both the public and critics. Interestingly, Dalí claimed that his melting clocks were not an allegory of Einstein's theory of relativity, as many thought, but rather a representation of "the Camembert-like nature" of time, highlighting his unique approach that often mixed humor with deep philosophical introspection.