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Rogomelec
(The King of the Jews) is the title painting
for
one of Finis Surrealist tales written
during the 1970s. The
story is a dream-like fantasy which involves
Finis themes of
rituals and sacrifices.
One of three books she wrote in that decade
- the others were
Mourmour Conte Pour Enfants Velus (Mourmour
Fairy Tale
for Hairy Children) and LOneiropompe
- it proved to be very
successful, especially in its German language
edition. Leonor
enjoyed writing and was also a voracious reader.
Extremely
literate, she read, wrote and spoke multiple
languages including
French, Spanish, her native Italian and German
and, though
she pretended not to, English.
One of a series of darkly colored paintings
she executed during
this period, Rogomelec
calls to mind Fernand Khnopffs
Sleeping Medusa which Fini had earlier
used as the basis
for the painting Extreme Nuit in 1977.
Oil on canvas, 49
x 22. |
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La
Perle
explores many of Finis reoccurring themes.
The
bound, yet unyielding, central figure recalls
the drawings that
seemed to fascinate Leonor; hanged figures -
both male and
female.
The title of the painting, begs the question
which
is the pearl?
Is it the girl whose opalescence dominates the
canvas or could it
be the trap in which she finds herself? The
trap being the genesis of a pearl which is,
at its center, actually nothing more than
a gritty grain of sand coupled with an oysters
attempt to sooth an irritation. Ambiguity abounds
again,
as Fini presents the concept that form, matter
and purpose are joined by their very existence.
Oil on canvas, 41.5 x 26. |
1978
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