Dans la tour 1952

Léonor Fini's Dans la tour presents us with a theatrical scene, rendered in subtle, earthy tones punctuated by a slash of vibrant red. I wonder about the way she built up this composition. The layering of paint must have been so important to build this atmosphere. I can almost feel the rough texture of the tower walls and the softness of the figures' garments. The woman, draped in black, gestures with an open hand, while the figure in red almost seems to be led into the scene. What are they thinking? What is Fini thinking? She’s in conversation with painters like de Chirico, but goes further in her exploration of gender and identity. We see through painting. We think through it. We feel through it. These paintings are alive.