Nativity (triptych)

Born into a strict Catholic family in Lancashire, England, Leonora Carrington rebelled young and was expelled from several convent schools. Her parents were persuaded to let her study art in London, where she established herself as both a painter and a writer. In 1937 she met Max Ernst, who left his wife for her. They lived together until the outbreak of World War Two, when he was imprisoned as an enemy alien and later lived with Peggy Guggenheim. Carrington lived in New York City after the War and in 1942 she moved to Mexico. Once here, her discovery of Mexican culture influenced her own interpretation of her magical inner world. Animals and mythical characters performing human activities fill her work, symbolic intermediaries between the unconscious and natural world. Mostly self-referential and autobiographical, her paintings address personal and worldly issues of social concern. Nativity addresses her personal understanding of the Christian nativity scene. Carrington has created the painting as a medieval or renaissance triptych that could be interpreted as a predella.

This painting is sold to benefit the Museum of Contemporary Art's Collection Fund. Accordingly, this lot may be exempt from sales tax as set forth in the Sales Tax Notice at the back of this catalogue.