Leonor Fini
La Tentation de Saint Antoine
1938

Name: La Tentation de Saint Antoine
Brand: Leonor Fini
Price: 1200 USD

About the Item

Odilon Redon was a masterful practitioner of the art of lithography. With the exception of two experimental color lithographs, Redon enjoyed working exclusively in black and white. Flaubert’s richly mystical writings on the tribulations of Saint Antoine inspired Redon to produce three separate series of prints on the subject over an eight-year period. The publisher Ambroise Vollard issued the third and last series in 1896. The lithographs from this series were later issued in a deluxe edition in 1938 with accompanying wood engravings (executed in 1910) as one of Vollard’s last publication projects before his death the following year.

Creator:

Leonor Fini (1908 - 1996, French)

Creation Year:

1938

Dimensions:

Height: 12.5 in (31.75 cm)Width: 8.5 in (21.59 cm)

Medium:

Lithograph

Movement & Style:

Surrealist

Period:

1940-1949

Condition:

In custom red case.

Gallery Location:

Wilton, CT

Reference Number:

1stDibs: LU1362213174762

Shop All Leonor Fini

Leonor Fini

Leonor Fini was the life of the party during the French Surrealist movement. A socialite with connections to some of the movement's biggest names, Fini was also an astoundingly gifted artist in her own right. In fact, many consider her to be the most fiercely independent female artist of the 20th century. A theatrical personality, Fini created prints, paintings and drawings that are widely revered for their sensuous qualities and raw energy.

Fini's life started off in a dramatic fashion, which was perhaps a portent of things to come. She was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 1907, but her parents separated soon after and her mother took her away to Trieste, Italy. Due to her father's attempts to kidnap her, Fini was often dressed as a boy throughout her childhood.

Fini was surrounded by artistic women in Trieste, and she naturally developed a love for art as well. By the time she was 17, she had become familiar with Renaissance art and Mannerist painting and was exhibiting her own portraits. In 1931, at just 24 years of age, Fini moved to Paris and became acquainted with influential artists Giorgio de Chirico and Carlos Carrà. She also met and started a romantic relationship with Surrealist pioneer Max Ernst, who introduced her to others in the movement.

Though she had no formal art education, Fini proved herself to be both technically masterful and creatively exceptional. Her work and her flamboyant personality attracted the attention of many of the 20th century's most celebrated artists and thinkers, including Salvador Dalí, Jean Cocteau, Albert Camus and Jean Genet, just to name a very few. She exhibited her work in many Parisian art galleries, including the gallery of Christian Dior before the fashion icon became a designer.

In the 1950s, Fini continued painting while immersing herself in other artistic and dramatic endeavors, including theater costume and mask design. She also designed posters for the Paris Opera and wardrobes for movies.

Fini continued living and painting in Paris for the rest of her life. She died in 1996.

On 1stDibs, find original Leonor Fini prints, paintings and drawings.