Autoportrait au grand col 1941

Léonor Fini captured herself in paint, resulting in this self-portrait with the dramatic collar. The palette here is all earth tones, lots of browns and ochres, laid down in thin layers, so it feels like she’s building up the image slowly, thoughtfully. Looking at the surface, you can see how Fini used delicate, almost feathery brushstrokes to create the wisps of hair around her face. This contrasts so strongly with the smooth, almost porcelain-like treatment of her skin. The collar itself is a study in contrasts, too, with sharp edges that almost seem to cut into the soft background. It’s a bold declaration, a visual shout-out. Fini's self-portrait reminds me of Frida Kahlo, both women carving out their own identities in a world that didn’t always make space for them, using art to create their own rules. And that, to me, is what art is all about: making your own space, your own rules, and your own world.