Williamsburg, VA
Details
- Dimensions
- 15ʺW × 0.1ʺD × 22ʺH
- Styles
- French
- Illustration
- Frame Type
- Unframed
- Period
- 1980s
- Country of Origin
- France
- Item Type
- Vintage, Antique or Pre-owned
Shop Sustainably with Chairish
- Materials
- Etching
- Condition
- Good Condition, Original Condition Unaltered, Some Imperfections
- Color
- Green
- Condition Notes
- Excellent condition commensurate with age of Artwork. Excellent condition commensurate with age of Artwork. less
- Description
-
Leonor Fini (1907 - 1996)
COLLECTION: Les chats de Madame Helvétius
OUR NAME: Cat in Royal Gown
MEDIUM: Original Etching … more Leonor Fini (1907 - 1996)
COLLECTION: Les chats de Madame Helvétius
OUR NAME: Cat in Royal Gown
MEDIUM: Original Etching
SIGNATURE: Signed lower right and annotated 57/150 lower left
SIZE: 56 x 38cm (22.05 x 14.96 in)
Image is ACTUAL ARTWORK
ABOUT:
Leonor Fini was a remarkable Argentine-Italian artist whose work spanned seven decades of the 20th century. Born in Buenos Aires in 1907, Fini spent most of her childhood in Trieste, Italy, where she developed her artistic talents without formal training.
Artistic Career
Fini emerged as a significant figure in the Parisian art scene of the 1930s, associating with Surrealists but never formally joining the movement. Her unique style blended elements of Surrealism, Symbolism, and Mannerism, creating a distinctive visual language that explored themes of female power, sexuality, and metamorphosis.
Key Achievements:
- Exhibited internationally, including in the landmark 1943 exhibition "31 Women" at Peggy Guggenheim's New York gallery
- Designed costumes and sets for theater, ballet, and opera productions
- Illustrated numerous books, including works by Charles Baudelaire and Edgar Allan Poe
- Created designs for fashion and perfume, including the iconic bottle for Schiaparelli's "Shocking" fragrance
Feline Inspiration
Cats played a central role in Fini's life and art, serving as both companions and muses. Her deep connection to felines is evident throughout her oeuvre:
Artistic Representation:
- Cats appeared in Fini's earliest paintings and continued to feature in her work until the mid-1990s
- She often used cats as symbols of feminine power and mystery
- Feline elements were incorporated into her hybrid creatures, most notably the sphinx figure that became her signature motif
Personal Connection:
- Fini was known to care for up to 17 cats at one time
- Her love for cats reflected her interest in the duality of civilized and beastly nature in humans.
Legacy
Leonor Fini's work challenged gender norms and explored the complexities of female identity. Her paintings, with their powerful women and passive men, subverted traditional roles and continue to resonate with contemporary audiences. Fini's legacy as an independent, self-taught artist who forged her own path in the male-dominated art world of her time remains an inspiration to many.
Fini passed away in Paris in 1996, leaving behind a rich body of work that spans painting, illustration, design, and literature. Her unique vision and the recurring presence of feline imagery in her art have secured her place as one of the most intriguing and influential artists of her generation. less
Williamsburg, VA
Questions about the item?
Featured Promoted Listings
Related Collections
- Haley Mathewes Original Prints
- Jean Lurcat Original Prints
- Robert Delaunay Original Prints
- Original Prints in Little Rock
- Wool Original Prints
- Anton Schutz Original Prints
- Lucia Jones Original Prints
- Mark Kostabi Original Prints
- Classical Roman Original Prints
- Etruscan Revival Original Prints
- Christo and Jeanne-Claude Original Prints
- Moorish Original Prints
- Roy Fairchild-Woodard Original Prints
- Black and White Prints
- Framed Prints
- Botanical Prints
- Japanese Woodblock Prints
- Screen Prints
- Bird Prints
- Woodblock Prints
- Post Impressionist Original Prints
- Bernard Charoy Original Prints
- Willem de Kooning Original Prints
- John Stobart Original Prints
- David Gibson Original Prints