Double Portraits by Leonor Fini

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Leonor Fini defies notions of time and space, inviting us to contemplate existence and its mysteries. The artist has been … Read more Leonor Fini defies notions of time and space, inviting us to contemplate existence and its mysteries. The artist has been painting all her life. She is distinguished by a surreal and enigmatic work that refuses easy categorizations and breaks all boundaries with reality.

Among her remarkable contributions are lithographs like the one our gallery proposes, where Fini deftly wields graphic techniques to craft a piece of exceptional intensity and sophistication. With a resolutely vintage rendering and the employment of a single color, Fini's restrained use of lead and charcoal, combined with a stamping technique, provokes textural variations and a fascinating duality. Two faces, feminine and androgynous, seem to oppose and complement each other in extreme harmony.

With this work, numbered 86/220 and signed, Leonor Fini takes us into a world of sensory immersion, where she unites, in almost perfect symmetry, shadow and light, death and life, the unconscious and the conscious. Through this open door to her universe, we can only hope to understand the depth of her genius and the celestial resonance of her work, which today remains an inexhaustible source of inspiration and artistic revolution.

B I O 1 - Shorter

Leonor Fini worked tirelessly throughout the 20th century, often alongside universally acknowledged masters such as Max Ernst, André Breton, and George Balanchine.
Born in Buenos Aires on August 30, 1907, she spent her childhood in Trieste, Italy. She began painting as a teenager and earned a reputation with her portraits, capturing figures like actress Maria Felix, writer Jean Genet, and author Alberto Moravia. By seventeen, her work was exhibited in Trieste.

In 1931, Fini moved to Paris, where her paintings were showcased at the Bonjean Gallery, directed by Christian Dior. Her art gained international recognition by 1936, with exhibitions in New York museums.

Though associated with the surrealist movement, Fini valued her independence, refusing to join any group or sign manifestos. She wanted to be known simply as an artist. Her work often explored themes of gender and androgyny, influenced by painter Arturo Nathan.

After World War II, Fini began designing costumes and sets for theater, showcasing her precise and delicate artistry. She excelled in wash drawing, creating ethereal, enigmatic images.

The Minsky Gallery in Paris has passionately exhibited Fini’s work for decades, revealing her extravagance and timelessness. Through her art, Leonor Fini achieved immortality, leaving an indelible mark on the art world. See less