Almost three years after his remains were disinterred to settle a long-running paternity claim – and, incidentally, proving that his trademark moustache remained intact – Salvador Dalí may finally be able to rest in his own idiosyncratic approximation of peace.
On Monday, a court in Madrid ruled that the fortune-teller who erroneously believed herself to be the surrealist’s daughter was liable for the costs of an appeal – and the exhumation itself.
Dalí died in 1989 and was buried in a crypt beneath the museum he designed for himself in his home town of Figueres, Catalonia. His remains were exhumed in July 2017 and hair, nail and bone samples taken to support Pilar Abel’s contention that the artist was her father.
Abel, a tarot card reader and psychic from Girona, had always thought she was the fruit of a liaison between her mother and Dalí in 1955. But DNA tests established Dalí was not her biological father.
In a statement, the Gala-Salvador Dalí Foundation, which controls the artist’s lucrative estate, said the Madrid provincial court had dismissed Abel’s appeal questioning the chain of custody of Dalí’s remains – and ordered her to pay costs.
“The Dalí Foundation wishes to express its satisfaction since Salvador Dalí’s memory has been honoured,” it added. “The court’s decision puts an end to this sad episode, which led to the exhumation of Salvador Dalí’s mortal remains back in July 2017.”
According to the court, there was “nothing whatsoever to support” Abel’s latest claims.
Shortly after the disinterment, Abel said she was bankrupt. A spokeswoman for the foundation said it was looking into whether to hold Abel liable for the exhumation costs given her financial situation.
The saga made headlines around the world – as did the news that Dalí’s moustache had endured.
“His moustache is still intact, [like clock hands at] 10 past 10, just as he liked it. It’s a miracle,” said Narcís Bardalet, the embalmer who prepared Dalí’s body after his death and helped with the exhumation.
