Leonor Fini

Leonor Fini was a Surrealist artist of Argentinian-Italian descent, known for her captivating and enigmatic works. Fini was a multifaceted artist, excelling in painting, drawing and costume design. Her unconventional lifestyle and androgynous appearance challenged societal norms, making her a fascinating figure in the art world.

Born in Buenos Aires in 1907, Fini was raised in Trieste, Italy. Fini was a self-taught artist, however, she was inspired by the Renaissance and Mannerist paintings she encountered growing up in Itlay; and following a recovery from an eye disease, she decided to become an artist. At the age of 17, Fini moved to Milan and had her first solo exhibition at the Galerie Barbaroux in 1929.

In 1931, Fini moved to Paris and found herself at the centre of the Surrealist movement. There, she met fellow artists and creatives including Carlo Carrà, Giorgio de Chirico, Paul Eluard, Max Ernst, Georges Bataille, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dalí. In 1936 she had her first major exhibition in New York and her work was included in Peggy Guggenheim’s Exhibition by 31 Women in 1943.

In the late 1930s, she became acquainted with fashion designer Elsa Schiaparelli, who was known for her avant-garde designs, which paralleled Fini’s own boundary-pushing art. The two collaborated until the early 1940s and Fini designed the infamous perfume bottle for Schiaparelli’s ‘Shocking’ fragrance, basing the curvaceous shape on the actress Mae West’s torso.

Leonor Fini’s art drew inspiration from various sources, blending classical mythology, dreamlike imagery and personal symbolism. Her work often explored themes of identity, sexuality and the subconscious. Influenced by Italian Renaissance painters and the Symbolist movement, Fini developed a unique style that combined realism with fantastical elements.

Leonor Fini died in 1996 in Paris. Today, she is considered as one of the most important women artists of the mid-20th century, along with Leonora Carrington, Frida Kahlo, Méret Oppenheim, Remedios Varo and Dorothea Tanning.