We start the image tour in the upper left hand corner where we see a cannon (symbol of old war)and the mythical Pegasus being blasted out of the cannon. Pegasus allows our hero to ride him to defeat a monster in this case the “Axis” . We also see spewing from the cannon a fuselage of an airplane complete with propeller .From these forms we see a metamorphosis unto the Winged Nike of Victory. With Dali there are no coincidences as both Pegasus and the Nike are flying and representing a victory , the prophesy being made here that for the first time in history a war will not be won in the “old ways” with cannons but with air superiority and that whomever proved victorious in the air would win the war...
Peace :
In the lower right hand side of the image we see the roots of a dying olive tree. Symbolically the olive tree represents peace and here we see this same hope in a fragile state. Draped (melting) over the olive branch we see a strange figure who’s head if you will is in the center of the canvas. As much of Dali's images repeat throughout his works we see the head of the being is actually a rock formation from the beaches of his beloved homeland in Catalonia. These repeating images are also refereed to as examples of “Dalian Continuity” . As we follow the neck up the figure we see the being draping/melting over the olive branch , we see a breast and a emaciated torso playing a Cello which for Dali is a homage to the Pichot (Ricardo) family whom he spent many a summer with in his youth and introduced Dali to the arts. Just above the branch and in the vicinity of our beings shoulder are two ink wells which to Dali are the hope that a peace treaty will be signed and the war avoided.
Hope :
We see on the face of the being a “Daddy Longlegs” spider to which we derive the paintings name. In Dali's world and at that time in Spain and the south of France the legend or folklore was that if you had seen a daddy longlegs spider in the late afternoon or early evening it would bring you good luck/hope. Dali includes the spider here to give “him” luck /hope in resolving this impending war with a peace treaty. As a witness to the events we see in the lower left corner of the painting a winged Cherub child seemingly covering his eyes from the events depicted as Dali desires to preserve some innocence. Thus the name : Daddy Longlegs of the Evening ,, Hope !.