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Leonor Fini Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

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
"Double Portraits" Surrealist Lithograph by Leonor Fini
By Leonor Fini
Located in Pasadena, CA
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...
Category

1960s Surrealist Leonor Fini Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Lithograph

Face and Flowers
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 Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Etching

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Leonor Fini drawings and watercolor paintings for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Leonor Fini drawings and watercolor paintings available for sale on 1stDibs. You can also browse by medium to find art by Leonor Fini in lithograph and more. Not every interior allows for large Leonor Fini drawings and watercolor paintings, so small editions measuring 13 inches across are available. Customers who are interested in this artist might also find the work of Jean Baptiste Édouard Detaille, Ben Fenske, and Robert Ladou. Leonor Fini drawings and watercolor paintings prices can differ depending upon medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $1,500 and tops out at $1,500, while the average work can sell for $1,500.
Questions About Leonor Fini Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
  • 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.

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