Collotype on Velin Arches paper, 32 x 23 cm, limited edition, hand-numbered 142/230, l.d., signed by Leonor Fini in pencil p.d.
The series was published by the prestigious Parisian publishing house Éditions d'Art de l'Ibis in 1978.
The artist personally supervised the printing process and approved the so-called bon à tirer (master piece) before the numbering of the series began.
Gallery certificate of authenticity attached.
(Leonor Fini was a master of detail. The collotype allowed perfect rendering of her very fine, "twitching" lines, which can be seen on the striped dress of the catkin or the plumes of the Harlequin. Each color was applied separately, which required great precision in striping the sheet, the print runs were limited to small batches - the dies wore out very quickly)
Leonor Fini-one of the most independent and charismatic artists of the twentieth century, associated with the Surrealist trend, although she herself always denied formal affiliation with any group.
Leonor Fini was a total artist: painter, theatrical costume designer, illustrator and writer. She was born in Argentina, raised in Italy, and spent most of her life in Paris.
Queen of self-creation: She was famous for her extravagant lifestyle, and for wearing masks and elaborate costumes at Parisian balls. Leonor Fini's work is inseparable from the figures of cats. They were not just pets for her - at one point in her life she shared her Paris apartment with as many as 23 cats - but became powerful symbols, alter egos, independence and feminine strength, and guides to the world of imagination.
The "Le Chats" series is one of the most iconic publications in Leonor Fini's oeuvre. It was these works that cemented her image as the "Cat Lady of Surrealism."
Fini did not want to create ordinary portraits of animals. In this series, cats become theatrical figures. The artist gave them anthropomorphic features - their bodies have human proportions, hands and feet, but their heads remain cat-like, while maintaining the wildness of their gaze. The costumes allude to the Baroque, Rococo court fashion and costumes from the Commedia dell'arte. This is a conscious effort: for Fini, the cat was an inherently proud, mysterious and "inhuman" creature, so the clothing of the viscounts or harlequins was a perfect match for them.
Upon publication, the series was received with great enthusiasm, especially in France and Italy. The works immediately became an "object of desire" because they combined Fini's two greatest passions: her love of cats and her love of theater/masquerade. It was emphasized that Fini managed to avoid the trap of "cute pictures with cats." Her cats are disturbing, almost demonic in their elegance. Critics saw them as an expression of her own personality - independent, predatory and extremely stylish.
Today, the Les Chats series is considered the absolute canon of surrealist graphics of the 20th century.
