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Leonor Fini Art

French, 1908-1996

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.

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Artist: Leonor Fini
Mélika (W)

Mélika (W)

By Leonor Fini

Located in Columbia, MO

Leonor Fini was born in Argentina in 1907 but travelled and lived in Europe with her mother from a young age. By 1931, she was in Paris, in the full swing of the Surrealist movement....

Category

20th Century Surrealist Leonor Fini Art

Materials

Paper, Ink, Etching

Fourgon

Fourgon

By Leonor Fini

Located in Columbia, MO

Leonor Fini was born in Argentina in 1907 but travelled and lived in Europe with her mother from a young age. By 1931, she was in Paris, in the full swing of the Surrealist movement....

Category

20th Century Surrealist Leonor Fini Art

Materials

Paper, Ink, Etching

Leonor Fini - Satyr - Original Handsigned Lithograph
Leonor Fini - Satyr - Original Handsigned Lithograph

Leonor Fini - Satyr - Original Handsigned Lithograph

By Leonor Fini

Located in Collonge Bellerive, Geneve, CH

Leonor Fini - Satyr - Original Handsigned Lithograph Circa 1982 On colored paper Handsigned and Numbered Edition: 275 Dimensions: 69 x 52.5 cm

Category

1980s Modern Leonor Fini Art

Materials

Lithograph

Fellowship (A)

Fellowship (A)

By Leonor Fini

Located in Columbia, MO

Leonor Fini was born in Argentina in 1907 but travelled and lived in Europe with her mother from a young age. By 1931, she was in Paris, in the full swing of the Surrealist movement....

Category

Mid-20th Century Surrealist Leonor Fini Art

Materials

Etching

Reflection

Reflection

By Leonor Fini

Located in Columbia, MO

Leonor Fini was born in Argentina in 1907 but travelled and lived in Europe with her mother from a young age. By 1931, she was in Paris, in the full swing of the Surrealist movement....

Category

20th Century Surrealist Leonor Fini Art

Materials

Archival Paper, Etching

Leonor Fini, Princess, circa 1970
Leonor Fini, Princess, circa 1970

Leonor Fini, Princess, circa 1970

By Leonor Fini

Located in Saint-Didier, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur

Titre : Leonor Fini, Princess, circa 1970 Texte : Rare print handsigned and numbered by surrealist artist Leonor Fini, inscreasingly esteemed with the movement of rediscovering art...

Category

1970s Leonor Fini Art

Materials

Paper

Leonor Fini - Portraits - Original Handsigned Lithograph
Leonor Fini - Portraits - Original Handsigned Lithograph

Leonor Fini - Portraits - Original Handsigned Lithograph

By Leonor Fini

Located in Collonge Bellerive, Geneve, CH

Leonor Fini - Portraits - Original Handsigned Lithograph Les Elus de la Nuit 1986 Conditions: excellent Handsigned and Numbered Edition: 230 Dimensions: 38 x 28 cm Editions: Trinckv...

Category

1980s Modern Leonor Fini Art

Materials

Lithograph

Klévak (Hand-colored)

Klévak (Hand-colored)

By Leonor Fini

Located in Columbia, MO

Leonor Fini was born in Argentina in 1907 but travelled and lived in Europe with her mother from a young age. By 1931, she was in Paris, in the full swing of the Surrealist movement....

Category

20th Century Surrealist Leonor Fini Art

Materials

Paper, Ink, Etching

Nightgown

Nightgown

By Leonor Fini

Located in Columbia, MO

Leonor Fini was born in Argentina in 1907 but travelled and lived in Europe with her mother from a young age. By 1931, she was in Paris, in the full swing of the Surrealist movement....

Category

20th Century Surrealist Leonor Fini Art

Materials

Archival Paper, Etching

La Tête II

La Tête II

By Leonor Fini

Located in Columbia, MO

Leonor Fini was born in Argentina in 1907 but travelled and lived in Europe with her mother from a young age. By 1931, she was in Paris, in the full swing of the Surrealist movement....

Category

20th Century Surrealist Leonor Fini Art

Materials

Paper, Etching

Pull

Pull

By Leonor Fini

Located in Columbia, MO

Leonor Fini was born in Argentina in 1907 but travelled and lived in Europe with her mother from a young age. By 1931, she was in Paris, in the full swing of the Surrealist movement....

Category

20th Century Surrealist Leonor Fini Art

Materials

Archival Paper, Etching

Leonor Fini, rare original lithograph on paper, circa 1970
Leonor Fini, rare original lithograph on paper, circa 1970

Leonor Fini, rare original lithograph on paper, circa 1970

By Leonor Fini

Located in Saint-Didier, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur

Rare print numered by surrealist artist Leonor Fini, now rediscovered and inscreasingly esteemed with the movement of rediscovering art by women. It depicts a beautiful feminine figu...

Category

Mid-20th Century Surrealist Leonor Fini Art

Materials

Paper

Teacher

Teacher

By Leonor Fini

Located in Columbia, MO

Leonor Fini was born in Argentina in 1907 but travelled and lived in Europe with her mother from a young age. By 1931, she was in Paris, in the full swing of the Surrealist movement....

Category

20th Century Surrealist Leonor Fini Art

Materials

Archival Paper, Etching

Pout

Pout

By Leonor Fini

Located in Columbia, MO

Leonor Fini was born in Argentina in 1907 but travelled and lived in Europe with her mother from a young age. By 1931, she was in Paris, in the full swing of the Surrealist movement....

Category

Mid-20th Century Surrealist Leonor Fini Art

Materials

Etching

Leonor Fini - Pregnant - Original Handsigned Lithograph
Leonor Fini - Pregnant - Original Handsigned Lithograph

Leonor Fini - Pregnant - Original Handsigned Lithograph

By Leonor Fini

Located in Collonge Bellerive, Geneve, CH

Leonor Fini - Pregnant - Original Handsigned Lithograph Circa 1982 On colored paper Handsigned and Numbered Edition: 275 Dimensions: 69 x 52.5 cm Leonor Fini is considered one of the most important women artists of the mid-twentieth century, along with Leonora Carrington, Frida Kahlo, Meret Oppenheim, Remedios Varo, and Dorothea Tanning – most of whom Fini knew well. Her career, which spanned some six decades, included painting, graphic design, book illustration, product design (the renowned torso-shaped perfume bottle for Schiaparelli’s Shocking), and set and costume design for theatre, ballet, opera, and film. In this compellingly readable, exhaustively researched account, author Peter Webb brings Fini’s provocative art and unconventional personal life, as well as the vibrant avant-garde world in which she revolved, vividly in life. Born in Buenos Aires in 1907 (August 30 – January 18, 1996, Paris) to Italian and Argentine parents, Leonor grew up in Trieste, Italy, raised by her strong-willed, independent mother, Malvina. She was a virtually self-taught artist, learing anatomy directly from studying cadavers in the local morgue and absorbing composition and technique from the Old Masters through books and visits to museums. Fini’s fledging attempts at painting in Trieste let her to Milan, where she participated in her first group exhibition in 1929, and then to Paris in 1931. Her vivacious personality and flamboyant attire instantly garnered her a spotlight in the Parisian art world and she soon developed close relationships with the leading surrealist writers and painters, including Paul Eluard, Salvador Dali, Man Ray, and Max Ernst, who became her lover for a time. The only surrealist she could not abide because of his misogyny was André Breton. Although she repeatedly exhibited with them, she never considered herself a surrealist. The American dealer Julien Levy, very much impressed by Fini’s painting and smitten by her eccentric charms, invited her to New York in 1936, where she took part in a joint gallery exhibition with Max Ernst and met many American surrealists, including Joseph Cornell and Pavel Tchelitchew. Her work was included in MoMA’s pivotal Fantastic Art, Dada and Surrealism exhibition, along with De Chirico, Dali, Ernst, and Yves Tanguy. In 1939 in Paris she curated an exhibition of surrealist furniture for her childhood friend Leo Castelli for the opening of his first gallery. Introductions to her exhibition catalogues were written by De Chirico, Ernst, and Jean Cocteau. A predominant theme of Fini’s art is the complex relationship between the sexes, primarily the interplay between the dominant female and the passive, androgynous male. In many of her most powerful works, the female takes the form of a sphinx, often with the face of the artist. Fini was also an accomplished portraitist; among her subjects were Stanislao Lepri...

Category

1980s Modern Leonor Fini Art

Materials

Lithograph

Le Concile d'Amour, Modern Nude Etching by Leonor Fini
Le Concile d'Amour, Modern Nude Etching by Leonor Fini

Le Concile d'Amour, Modern Nude Etching by Leonor Fini

By Leonor Fini

Located in Long Island City, NY

Two women dancing holding hands in a circle as religious figures and another nude look on the scene is the subject of this etching print by Leonor Fini. The work is an illustration of the themes of a satirical play with the same title Le Concile d’Amour...

Category

1980s Surrealist Leonor Fini Art

Materials

Etching

Psuedo sonnet
Psuedo sonnet

Psuedo sonnet

By Leonor Fini

Located in Columbia, MO

Leonor Fini was born in Argentina in 1907 but travelled and lived in Europe with her mother from a young age. By 1931, she was in Paris, in the full swing of the Surrealist movement....

Category

1970s Surrealist Leonor Fini Art

Materials

Lithograph

Untitled (Mirror)
Untitled (Mirror)

Untitled (Mirror)

By Leonor Fini

Located in Columbia, MO

Untitled (Mirror) 1976 Serigraph Ed. Edition of 175 25.75 x 20.5 inches

Category

1970s Surrealist Leonor Fini Art

Materials

Screen

The Nymphs (B)

The Nymphs (B)

By Leonor Fini

Located in Columbia, MO

Leonor Fini was born in Argentina in 1907 but travelled and lived in Europe with her mother from a young age. By 1931, she was in Paris, in the full swing of the Surrealist movement....

Category

Mid-20th Century Surrealist Leonor Fini Art

Materials

Etching

Three Dancers (A)

Three Dancers (A)

By Leonor Fini

Located in Columbia, MO

Leonor Fini was born in Argentina in 1907 but travelled and lived in Europe with her mother from a young age. By 1931, she was in Paris, in the full swing of the Surrealist movement....

Category

Mid-20th Century Surrealist Leonor Fini Art

Materials

Etching

Leonor Fini, rare original serigraph on Rives paper, circa 1970
Leonor Fini, rare original serigraph on Rives paper, circa 1970

Leonor Fini, rare original serigraph on Rives paper, circa 1970

By Leonor Fini

Located in Saint-Didier, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur

Rare print handsigned by surrealist artist Leonor Fini, inscreasingly esteemed with the movement of rediscovering art by women. This silkscreen is in perfect condition and from a ver...

Category

Mid-20th Century Surrealist Leonor Fini Art

Materials

Paper

Pas du chat (B)

Pas du chat (B)

By Leonor Fini

Located in Columbia, MO

Leonor Fini was born in Argentina in 1907 but travelled and lived in Europe with her mother from a young age. By 1931, she was in Paris, in the full swing of the Surrealist movement....

Category

Mid-20th Century Surrealist Leonor Fini Art

Materials

Etching

Three Dancers (B)

Three Dancers (B)

By Leonor Fini

Located in Columbia, MO

Leonor Fini was born in Argentina in 1907 but travelled and lived in Europe with her mother from a young age. By 1931, she was in Paris, in the full swing of the Surrealist movement....

Category

Mid-20th Century Surrealist Leonor Fini Art

Materials

Etching

Gesture (A)

Gesture (A)

By Leonor Fini

Located in Columbia, MO

Leonor Fini was born in Argentina in 1907 but travelled and lived in Europe with her mother from a young age. By 1931, she was in Paris, in the full swing of the Surrealist movement....

Category

Mid-20th Century Surrealist Leonor Fini Art

Materials

Etching

Les Elus De La Nuit (10B)

Les Elus De La Nuit (10B)

By Leonor Fini

Located in Columbia, MO

LEONOR FINI Les Elus De La Nuit (10B) 1986 15 x 11 Etching on Arches paper Ed. 14/31

Category

1980s Surrealist Leonor Fini Art

Materials

Etching

Corsage

Corsage

By Leonor Fini

Located in Columbia, MO

Leonor Fini was born in Argentina in 1907 but travelled and lived in Europe with her mother from a young age. By 1931, she was in Paris, in the full swing of the Surrealist movement....

Category

20th Century Surrealist Leonor Fini Art

Materials

Archival Paper, Etching

Lounging Cat

Lounging Cat

By Leonor Fini

Located in Columbia, MO

LEONOR FINI Lounging Cat 1973 Color lithograph Ed. 157/230 12.5 x 9 inches

Category

1970s Surrealist Leonor Fini Art

Materials

Lithograph

Six Nudes, Modern Art Etching by Leonor Fini
Six Nudes, Modern Art Etching by Leonor Fini

Six Nudes, Modern Art Etching by Leonor Fini

By Leonor Fini

Located in Long Island City, NY

Artist: Leonor Fini Title: Six Nudes Year: circa 1970 Medium: Etching, Signed and Numbered in Pencil Edition: 110/150 Size: 12 x 15.5 in. (30.48 x 39.37 cm) Frame Size: 22 x 26 inches

Category

1970s Surrealist Leonor Fini Art

Materials

Lithograph

Metamorphosis Owl (B)

Metamorphosis Owl (B)

By Leonor Fini

Located in Columbia, MO

Leonor Fini was born in Argentina in 1907 but travelled and lived in Europe with her mother from a young age. By 1931, she was in Paris, in the full swing of the Surrealist movement....

Category

Mid-20th Century Surrealist Leonor Fini Art

Materials

Etching

Heads and Figures Variations (B)

Heads and Figures Variations (B)

By Leonor Fini

Located in Columbia, MO

Leonor Fini was born in Argentina in 1907 but travelled and lived in Europe with her mother from a young age. By 1931, she was in Paris, in the full swing of the Surrealist movement....

Category

Mid-20th Century Surrealist Leonor Fini Art

Materials

Etching

Robed Figure

Robed Figure

By Leonor Fini

Located in Columbia, MO

Leonor Fini was born in Argentina in 1907 but travelled and lived in Europe with her mother from a young age. By 1931, she was in Paris, in the full swing of the Surrealist movement....

Category

Mid-20th Century Surrealist Leonor Fini Art

Materials

Etching

Untitled (Baby in vase)
Untitled (Baby in vase)

Untitled (Baby in vase)

By Leonor Fini

Located in Columbia, MO

Untitled (Baby in vase) 1976 Serigraph Ed. Edition of 175 25.75 x 20.5 inches

Category

1970s Surrealist Leonor Fini Art

Materials

Screen

Leonor Fini, King, rare lithograph on Arches paper, circa 1980
Leonor Fini, King, rare lithograph on Arches paper, circa 1980

Leonor Fini, King, rare lithograph on Arches paper, circa 1980

By Leonor Fini

Located in Saint-Didier, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur

Rare print handsigned by surrealist artist Leonor Fini, inscreasingly esteemed with the movement of rediscovering art by women. This rare original lithograph is an artist proof in ve...

Category

Mid-20th Century Surrealist Leonor Fini Art

Materials

Paper

Leap

Leap

By Leonor Fini

Located in Columbia, MO

Leonor Fini was born in Argentina in 1907 but travelled and lived in Europe with her mother from a young age. By 1931, she was in Paris, in the full swing of the Surrealist movement....

Category

Mid-20th Century Surrealist Leonor Fini Art

Materials

Etching

Yawn

Yawn

By Leonor Fini

Located in Columbia, MO

Leonor Fini was born in Argentina in 1907 but travelled and lived in Europe with her mother from a young age. By 1931, she was in Paris, in the full swing of the Surrealist movement....

Category

Mid-20th Century Surrealist Leonor Fini Art

Materials

Etching

Metamorphosis Owl (A)

Metamorphosis Owl (A)

By Leonor Fini

Located in Columbia, MO

Leonor Fini was born in Argentina in 1907 but travelled and lived in Europe with her mother from a young age. By 1931, she was in Paris, in the full swing of the Surrealist movement....

Category

Mid-20th Century Surrealist Leonor Fini Art

Materials

Etching

Cats and Blindfold

Cats and Blindfold

By Leonor Fini

Located in Columbia, MO

LEONOR FINI Cats and Blindfold 1973 Color lithograph Ed. 157/230 12.5 x 9 inches

Category

1970s Surrealist Leonor Fini Art

Materials

Lithograph

12b

12b

By Leonor Fini

Located in Columbia, MO

Lithograph on washi paper Exemplaire B/165 Leonor Fini was born in Argentina in 1907 but travelled and lived in Europe with her mother from a young age. By 1931, she was in Paris, i...

Category

1960s Surrealist Leonor Fini Art

Materials

Lithograph, Washi Paper

4a

4a

By Leonor Fini

Located in Columbia, MO

Lithograph on Arches paper Exemplaire B/165 Leonor Fini was born in Argentina in 1907 but travelled and lived in Europe with her mother from a young age. By 1931, she was in Paris, ...

Category

1960s Surrealist Leonor Fini Art

Materials

Archival Paper, Lithograph

Les Elus De La Nuit (2B)

Les Elus De La Nuit (2B)

By Leonor Fini

Located in Columbia, MO

LEONOR FINI Les Elus De La Nuit (2B) 1986 15 x 11 Etching on Arches paper Ed. 14/31

Category

1980s Surrealist Leonor Fini Art

Materials

Etching

Cat in Striped Dress

Cat in Striped Dress

By Leonor Fini

Located in Columbia, MO

LEONOR FINI Cat in Striped Dress 1973 Color lithograph Ed. 157/230 12.5 x 9 inches

Category

1970s Surrealist Leonor Fini Art

Materials

Lithograph

9b

9b

By Leonor Fini

Located in Columbia, MO

Lithograph on washi paper Exemplaire B/165 Leonor Fini was born in Argentina in 1907 but travelled and lived in Europe with her mother from a young age. By 1931, she was in Paris, i...

Category

1960s Surrealist Leonor Fini Art

Materials

Lithograph, Washi Paper

3a

3a

By Leonor Fini

Located in Columbia, MO

Lithograph on Arches Exemplaire B/165 Leonor Fini was born in Argentina in 1907 but travelled and lived in Europe with her mother from a young age. By 1931, she was in Paris, in the...

Category

1960s Leonor Fini Art

Materials

Lithograph, Archival Paper

4b

4b

By Leonor Fini

Located in Columbia, MO

Lithograph on washi paper Exemplaire B/165

Category

1960s Surrealist Leonor Fini Art

Materials

Lithograph, Washi Paper

Leonor Fini, rare lithograph on Arches paper, circa 1980
Leonor Fini, rare lithograph on Arches paper, circa 1980

Leonor Fini, rare lithograph on Arches paper, circa 1980

By Leonor Fini

Located in Saint-Didier, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur

Rare print handsigned by surrealist artist Leonor Fini, inscreasingly esteemed with the movement of rediscovering art by women. This rare original lithograph is an artist proof in ve...

Category

Mid-20th Century Surrealist Leonor Fini Art

Materials

Paper

Leonor Fini, rare lithograph on Arches paper, circa 1980
Leonor Fini, rare lithograph on Arches paper, circa 1980

Leonor Fini, rare lithograph on Arches paper, circa 1980

By Leonor Fini

Located in Saint-Didier, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur

Rare print handsigned by surrealist artist Leonor Fini, inscreasingly esteemed with the movement of rediscovering art by women. This rare original lithograph is an artist proof in ve...

Category

Mid-20th Century Surrealist Leonor Fini Art

Materials

Paper

Leonor Fini, rare original serigraph on Rives paper, circa 1970
Leonor Fini, rare original serigraph on Rives paper, circa 1970

Leonor Fini, rare original serigraph on Rives paper, circa 1970

By Leonor Fini

Located in Saint-Didier, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur

Rare print handsigned by surrealist artist Leonor Fini, inscreasingly esteemed with the movement of rediscovering art by women. This silkscreen is in perfect condition and from a ver...

Category

Mid-20th Century Surrealist Leonor Fini Art

Materials

Paper

Leonor Fini - Surrealist Portraits - Handsigned Original Lithograph
Leonor Fini - Surrealist Portraits - Handsigned Original Lithograph

Leonor Fini - Surrealist Portraits - Handsigned Original Lithograph

By Leonor Fini

Located in Collonge Bellerive, Geneve, CH

Leonor Fini - Surrealist Portraits Original Lithograph Handsigned Dimensions: 38 x 28 cm Leonor Fini is considered one of the most important women artists of the mid-twentieth century, along with Leonora Carrington, Frida Kahlo, Meret Oppenheim, Remedios Varo, and Dorothea Tanning – most of whom Fini knew well. Her career, which spanned some six decades, included painting, graphic design, book illustration, product design (the renowned torso-shaped perfume bottle for Schiaparelli’s Shocking), and set and costume design for theatre, ballet, opera, and film. In this compellingly readable, exhaustively researched account, author Peter Webb brings Fini’s provocative art and unconventional personal life, as well as the vibrant avant-garde world in which she revolved, vividly in life. Born in Buenos Aires in 1907 (August 30 – January 18, 1996, Paris) to Italian and Argentine parents, Leonor grew up in Trieste, Italy, raised by her strong-willed, independent mother, Malvina. She was a virtually self-taught artist, learing anatomy directly from studying cadavers in the local morgue and absorbing composition and technique from the Old Masters through books and visits to museums. Fini’s fledging attempts at painting in Trieste let her to Milan, where she participated in her first group exhibition in 1929, and then to Paris in 1931. Her vivacious personality and flamboyant attire instantly garnered her a spotlight in the Parisian art world and she soon developed close relationships with the leading surrealist writers and painters, including Paul Eluard, Salvador Dali, Man Ray, and Max Ernst, who became her lover for a time. The only surrealist she could not abide because of his misogyny was André Breton. Although she repeatedly exhibited with them, she never considered herself a surrealist. The American dealer Julien Levy, very much impressed by Fini’s painting and smitten by her eccentric charms, invited her to New York in 1936, where she took part in a joint gallery exhibition with Max Ernst and met many American surrealists, including Joseph Cornell and Pavel Tchelitchew. Her work was included in MoMA’s pivotal Fantastic Art, Dada and Surrealism exhibition, along with De Chirico, Dali, Ernst, and Yves Tanguy. In 1939 in Paris she curated an exhibition of surrealist furniture...

Category

1970s Modern Leonor Fini Art

Materials

Lithograph

Leonor Fini - Untitled - Original Handsigned Etching
Leonor Fini - Untitled - Original Handsigned Etching

Leonor Fini - Untitled - Original Handsigned Etching

By Leonor Fini

Located in Collonge Bellerive, Geneve, CH

Leonor Fini - Untitled - Original Handsigned Etching Circa 1982 On colored paper Handsigned and Numbered Edition: 275 Dimensions: 69 x 52.5 cm Leonor Fini is considered one of the most important women artists of the mid-twentieth century, along with Leonora Carrington, Frida Kahlo, Meret Oppenheim, Remedios Varo, and Dorothea Tanning – most of whom Fini knew well. Her career, which spanned some six decades, included painting, graphic design, book illustration, product design (the renowned torso-shaped perfume bottle for Schiaparelli’s Shocking), and set and costume design for theatre, ballet, opera, and film. In this compellingly readable, exhaustively researched account, author Peter Webb brings Fini’s provocative art and unconventional personal life, as well as the vibrant avant-garde world in which she revolved, vividly in life. Born in Buenos Aires in 1907 (August 30 – January 18, 1996, Paris) to Italian and Argentine parents, Leonor grew up in Trieste, Italy, raised by her strong-willed, independent mother, Malvina. She was a virtually self-taught artist, learing anatomy directly from studying cadavers in the local morgue and absorbing composition and technique from the Old Masters through books and visits to museums. Fini’s fledging attempts at painting in Trieste let her to Milan, where she participated in her first group exhibition in 1929, and then to Paris in 1931. Her vivacious personality and flamboyant attire instantly garnered her a spotlight in the Parisian art world and she soon developed close relationships with the leading surrealist writers and painters, including Paul Eluard, Salvador Dali, Man Ray, and Max Ernst, who became her lover for a time. The only surrealist she could not abide because of his misogyny was André Breton. Although she repeatedly exhibited with them, she never considered herself a surrealist. The American dealer Julien Levy, very much impressed by Fini’s painting and smitten by her eccentric charms, invited her to New York in 1936, where she took part in a joint gallery exhibition with Max Ernst and met many American surrealists, including Joseph Cornell and Pavel Tchelitchew. Her work was included in MoMA’s pivotal Fantastic Art, Dada and Surrealism exhibition, along with De Chirico, Dali, Ernst, and Yves Tanguy. In 1939 in Paris she curated an exhibition of surrealist furniture for her childhood friend Leo Castelli for the opening of his first gallery. Introductions to her exhibition catalogues were written by De Chirico, Ernst, and Jean Cocteau. A predominant theme of Fini’s art is the complex relationship between the sexes, primarily the interplay between the dominant female and the passive, androgynous male. In many of her most powerful works, the female takes the form of a sphinx, often with the face of the artist. Fini was also an accomplished portraitist; among her subjects were Stanislao Lepri...

Category

1980s Modern Leonor Fini Art

Materials

Etching

Leonor Fini, rare lithograph on Arches paper, circa 1980
Leonor Fini, rare lithograph on Arches paper, circa 1980

Leonor Fini, rare lithograph on Arches paper, circa 1980

By Leonor Fini

Located in Saint-Didier, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur

Rare print handsigned by surrealist artist Leonor Fini, inscreasingly esteemed with the movement of rediscovering art by women. This rare original lithograph is an artist proof in ve...

Category

Mid-20th Century Surrealist Leonor Fini Art

Materials

Paper

Leonor Fini - Nimphs - Original Handsigned Lithograph
Leonor Fini - Nimphs - Original Handsigned Lithograph

Leonor Fini - Nimphs - Original Handsigned Lithograph

By Leonor Fini

Located in Collonge Bellerive, Geneve, CH

Leonor Fini - Nimphs - Original Handsigned Lithograph Circa 1982 On colored paper Handsigned and Numbered Edition: 275 Dimensions: 69 x 52.5 cm

Category

1980s Modern Leonor Fini Art

Materials

Lithograph

Leonor Fini - Original Lithograph
Leonor Fini - Original Lithograph

Leonor Fini - Original Lithograph

By Leonor Fini

Located in Collonge Bellerive, Geneve, CH

Leonor Fini - Original Lithograph The Flowers of Evil 1964 Conditions: excellent Edition: 500 Dimensions: 46 x 34 cm Editions: Le Cercle du Livre Précieux, Paris Unsigned and unumb...

Category

1960s Modern Leonor Fini Art

Materials

Lithograph

Leonor Fini, Blue and Green Face (Visage Bleu et Vert), Watercolour, 1940s
Leonor Fini, Blue and Green Face (Visage Bleu et Vert), Watercolour, 1940s

Leonor Fini, Blue and Green Face (Visage Bleu et Vert), Watercolour, 1940s

By Leonor Fini

Located in London, GB

Signed Watercolour and gouache on paper 16 x 12 inches Blue and Green Face (Visage Bleu et Vert), painted in 1948, is typical of Leonor Fini’s approach to portraiture, in that the s...

Category

1940s Leonor Fini Art

Materials

Watercolor, Gouache

Leonor Fini - Playing - Original Handsigned Lithograph
Leonor Fini - Playing - Original Handsigned Lithograph

Leonor Fini - Playing - Original Handsigned Lithograph

By Leonor Fini

Located in Collonge Bellerive, Geneve, CH

Leonor Fini - Playing - Original Handsigned Lithograph Les Elus de la Nuit 1986 Conditions: excellent Handsigned and Numbered Edition: 230 Dimensions: 38 x 28 cm Editions: Trinckvel...

Category

1980s Modern Leonor Fini Art

Materials

Lithograph

Leonor Fini - Duo - Original Lithograph
Leonor Fini - Duo - Original Lithograph

Leonor Fini - Duo - Original Lithograph

By Leonor Fini

Located in Collonge Bellerive, Geneve, CH

Leonor Fini - Duo - Original Lithograph The Flowers of Evil 1964 Conditions: excellent Edition: 500 Dimensions: 46 x 34 cm Editions: Le Cercle du Livre Précieux, Paris Unsigned and...

Category

1960s Modern Leonor Fini Art

Materials

Lithograph

Leonor Fini art for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Leonor Fini art available for sale on 1stDibs. If you’re browsing the collection of art to introduce a pop of color in a neutral corner of your living room or bedroom, you can find work that includes elements of orange, yellow and other colors. You can also browse by medium to find art by Leonor Fini in lithograph, etching, paper and more. Much of the original work by this artist or collective was created during the 20th century and is mostly associated with the Surrealist style. Not every interior allows for large Leonor Fini art, so small editions measuring 5 inches across are available. Customers who are interested in this artist might also find the work of André Masson, Max Ernst, and Roberto Matta. Leonor Fini art prices can differ depending upon medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $66 and tops out at $400,000, while the average work can sell for $900.

Artists Similar to Leonor Fini

Questions About Leonor Fini Art
  • 1stDibs ExpertOctober 15, 2024
    The Surrealist painter Fini is Leonor Fini. 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 widely revered for their sensuous qualities and raw energy. Some of her most famous works include Little Hermit Sphinx, La Toilette Inutile, Woman Seated on a Naked Man and La Semaine de Bonté. Explore a variety of Leonor Fini art on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertAugust 29, 2024
    Yes, Leonor Fini was a Surrealist. Though she had no formal art education, Fini proved 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. She exhibited her work in many Parisian art galleries, including the gallery of Christian Dior, before the fashion icon became a designer. On 1stDibs, explore a variety of Leonor Fini art.