An Elysian diptych Salvador Dalí painted of himself and his wife Gala in 1937 will lead Bonhams’ Impressionist and Modern Art sale in London on 26 March.

Created at the peak of his Surrealist period, the striking diptych, entitled Couple aux têtes pleines de nuages, showcase Dalí’s exploration of Freudian psychology and the unconscious mind.

The oil-on-wood panels feature a barren desert landscape with surrealist motifs Dalí is known for. Including scattered rocks, a disfigured tree, and a giraffe on fire, juxtaposed with a cerulean blue sky and framed by outlines of the couple with their heads in the clouds (hence the name). Like many of Dalí’s works, the silhouettes have been signed as Gala Salvador Dalí, as a tribute to honour his wife.

Prior to entering the sale, the work was part of the collection of Italian Modernist composer Giacinto Scelsi. The work hung in the composer’s living room for over fifty years, until his death in 1988. Scelsi was an associate of the Surrealist circle in the twenties and spent time with Dalí during his time in Italy. Scholars believe that Scelsi was the original owner of the painting, but it has since been shown at the Palazzo Grassi in 2004 and the Palazzo Reale in Milan in 2010. Most recently, the work was included in the Dalí/Duchamp exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts in London.

Couple aux têtes pleines de nuages is expected to fetch up to US$13 million as it goes under the hammer and will be available to view at Bonhams’ salesroom in London from now until 23 February. The sale will take place on 26 March.