Those who read Greek myths cannot but remember the Galatea myth. A talented sculptor named Pygmalion sculpted such a beautiful statue that he fell in love with her. Thanks to his strong sense, the statue managed to come to life. Elena Dyakonova, the heroine of this article, was also, in a sense, this Galatea. During her life she was a muse among several geniuses. But, at the same time, she was for them in some ways Pygmalion. In any case, one of them owes her his success.
Do not forget that this woman was called not only Galatea. She was both a witch and Cinderella … But she entered the history of world art just like Elena the Beautiful, Gnandiva, the divine and incomparable Gala.
Life thanks to consumption
The origin of this enchantress and the first seventeen years of her life absolutely did not give any hope that the girl was promised a brilliant fate. She was the daughter of a humble Kazan official who died early. The family moves to Moscow. There is a misfortune with the girl - she gets sick. The diagnosis does not inspire hope: it was common for those years, consumption, tuberculosis. Contributed to the cure of her stepfather (lawyer). The family raised a little money, and Elena Dyakonova leaves for the Swiss mountain resort.
She had already come to terms with the fact that she would not survive. This was reflected in her character: the girl became unsociable, very sharp, she did not trust people. But there was a man who managed to melt this thick shell of ice. He was a charming young Parisian Eugene Grendel. He wrote poetry. Eugene's father considered poetry to be nonsense and forbade him to engage in literature. But the son did not listen to him. He came to Elena and read to her verses of his own composition. And she gradually softened. Gradually, she began to believe. It was in those days that she began to call herself Gala (the emphasis was on the last syllable). Perhaps from the French word meaning "holiday, revival."
The way home
Elena Dyakonova (Gala) returns to Russia in a year. She recovered and fell in love. Eugene wrote letters to her full of passion and love. They were also in verse. Gala answered him with the same force of feelings. It is unlikely that in those bright days she thought that in the same words that she now calls Grendel ("my child", "my chick"), she will call the other geniuses in her life.
Meanwhile, Eugene publishes his first collection of poems under the pseudonym, which later became known throughout the world, Paul Eluard. The premonition of Galu did not deceive: life really pushed her with a great man.
And in the world the First World War began. Paul wanted to go to the front. In letters, Elena begged him not to risk her life and health. But besides the war, Grendel’s father was on the path to their happiness. He did not want such an alliance: his son and some kind of Russian! But here Elena Dyakonova, whose biography is permeated with a feeling of love for her geniuses, for the first time in her life was able to show worldly wisdom and grip. She began to write warm and gentle letters to mother Eugene, who was so kind that she supported the young.
The marriage of lovers
February 1917 Elena Dyakonova (Gala) moved to Paris and married with her beloved poet. They swear to be together always, every minute. At the wedding, her husband's parents gave them an oak bed. The young took a vow together to die in her when their time came.
After just a year, little Cecile was born. The couple will live together for twelve years. Many years will be unusually happy, but the first problems will begin in 1921.
24 months threesome
The life of a prosperous poet and his beautiful wife in winter took place in theaters, salons and cafes, and in summer exclusively at fashionable resorts. This summer of 1921 they also spent at the resort. Here they made acquaintance with the German artist Max Ernst and his wife Lou. All four were brilliant and young. Yes, and husbands will soon become recognized throughout the world.
And then life threw them an unexpected turn. Between Gala and Ernest there is a feeling. They both understand that this is not adultery, but something more. Max parted with his wife, but Paul couldn’t. He stayed with Gala and Max.
Truly incomprehensible and surprising, but Gala turns out to love both. Differently, but to love. Passionately and sincerely. This fragile Paul can’t stand it and one fine day just disappears.
In search of a husband
Ernst and Elena Dyakonova, whose photo is a mixture of beauty, grace and luxury, are sought after him around the world and found in Indochina. Taking him from there, the three of them also return to Paris, home. But this is only three in appearance. At this point, Gala had already fallen out of love with Ernst. This caused him incredible pain. On the other hand, Eugene, whom she now loved even more than before, was also deeply and permanently wounded.
Now, Eugene’s head is haunted by obsessions to take possession of her not only in the presence, but also with the participation of another man. He writes her many letters in which he describes his erotic fantasies of love by three. Even after their separation, Paul will be obsessed with these fantasies, despite the fact that he himself will have a new muse, and Gala will marry again. A photo of Elena Dyakonova will always be with him until the end of his life.
Helena’s next husband Paul will bring to their house.
Extravagant loser
In the late twenties, friends introduced Elena and Eugene to a strange young Spaniard who was an artist. He was incredibly skinny, with a very long and ridiculously curled mustache. He was very fearful and shy. He seemed a little eccentric. He laughed almost constantly. He literally rolled on the ground when he was choked with laughter.
Who was he - a madman, a psychopath, or an ordinary loser, trying to hide his difficult life behind such an appearance? Spouses were unpleasantly extravagant in his clothes - beads on his neck, women's puffs on his shirt …
But Elena’s incredible intuition helped her to see genius in this strange person. What drove her then? She could not explain. Together with her husband, they accept the invitation to go to the artist in Spain. The journey took place in the heat of the day. And this despite the fact that Gala always preferred the cool. Much later, she claimed that she immediately realized that she would be the wife of this man. At that time in her life, she was very lonely. Yes, she was married, she and her husband allowed themselves easy intrigues on the side. But there was nothing serious about it. But Elena Dyakonova considered her loneliness to be the greatest misfortune.
One of the days, the artist took her for a walk in the mountains. And there, over the sea, he began a decisive assault on the beauty. The Spaniard clung to her greedy lips and asked what she wanted him to do with her. She seriously asked the artist to blow her up. This artist was the great Salvador Dali.
Gala and Dali - this is the most important thing in the whole world!
Many years later, being already a well-known and well-to-do man, the artist wrote in his diary that in the whole world the most important are Gala and Dali. In second place is Dali. On the third - the rest, and Gala, and Dali.
Lena Dyakonova, Dali's muse, unconditionally believed in her fate and the genius of Salvador. She decided to leave her rich husband and stay in a rural Spanish house for several years, fully devoting herself to this strange man. This time she was no longer a dowager. She was the queen of Parisian bohemia, who gave her attention and care to the poor.
The first time they spent in complete seclusion, even Gala sewed dresses for herself. Dali was sure that he was destined to live and die in complete poverty. But Gala did not give up: she went around museums and exhibitions with his drawings. And she won. Believing her literally, Vicomte de Noail sent almost thirty thousand francs in the name of Dali for a painting that he had not yet painted. After just a year, Dali became famous!
Now he was a famous artist. And from many of his canvases she looks, his muse, Lena Dyakonova, the wife of Dali. Finally, Gala's dream came true: the great master immortalized her image! After all, from childhood she dreamed about this.
