Who is Leonora Carrington?

Leonora Carrington (1917-2011) was a British-Mexican Surrealist painter and novelist whose work explores mythology, alchemy, and feminine power. After a relationship with Max Ernst and harrowing wartime experiences, Carrington settled in Mexico where she created fantastical paintings populated by hybrid creatures, mysterious rituals, and archetypal imagery. Her work draws on Celtic mythology, Kabbalah, Jungian psychology, and personal symbolism. Paintings like ‘The Pomps of the Subsoil’ and ‘The Giantess’ present alternative feminine mythologies challenging patriarchal narratives. Carrington remained artistically active into her nineties, gaining renewed recognition as a major Surrealist figure. Her influence extends through Visionary Art, feminist art discourse, and contemporary magical realism.