Leonor Fini: From Trieste to Paris - The Turbulent Youth of Leonor Fini (Italian Edition)

Leonor Fini, an Italian artist born in Buenos Aires and raised in Trieste in the early 20th century, is the subject of the portrait "A Painter Named Leonor." The book offers a glimpse into the dreamy and curious childhood of this young girl, as well as the captivating city that witnessed her growth, a crossroads of diverse languages, cultures, and religions.

As a child, Leonor was a figure of contention. Her father attempted to kidnap her to bring her back to Argentina, while her mother, who wanted to keep her in Trieste, disguised her as a boy to make her unrecognizable. Curious and self-centered, Leonor grew up surrounded by adults, exploring their world with audacity. Deeply attached to her cat, Cioci, with whom she shared a free-spirited and aloof yet affectionate nature, Leonor loved to invent outlandish stories and, above all, to draw. At the tender age of four and a half, she won a competition with a decidedly bizarre work: a hen that, after laying an egg in a pan, proceeds to cook it over the flame!

Rebellious towards anything she could not comprehend or that others considered forbidden, Leonor was expelled from school on multiple occasions. She claimed to be the daughter of "His Majesty the Cat" and even sneaked into a mortuary. Determined to become a painter, she defied her uncle's wish for her to become a lawyer. As a young girl, she frequented the home of writer Italo Svevo, and her closest friends were Bobi Bazlen, Gillo Dorfles, and Arturo Nathan. At just 17 years old, she participated in a group exhibition in Trieste, and by the time she was 20, she had been called to portray the family of a minister in Milan. There, she confronted the prejudices that made it difficult for a woman to gain credibility in the art field.

Undeterred, Leonor managed to establish herself in the Milanese artistic circles, meeting painters such as Giorgio De Chirico, Mario Sironi, and Achille Funi, until she was able to hold a solo exhibition. Her return to Trieste was only temporary, as Leonor was now ready to try her luck in Paris, the city that attracted artists like no other. She left, carrying with her a love for cats, costumes, mystery, and, of course, the desire to astonish.

"A Painter Named Leonor," by Corrado Premuda, is recommended for readers aged 9 and above.

product information: