Mythical, mystical, frightening, and gorgeous, Les Distractions de Dagobert (1945) is Leonara Carrington at the pinnacle of her abililities. Carringtoon was born in in London in 1917 and moved to Paris to be part of the art scene in the 1930s where she befriended Max Ernst and surrealist artists Salsvador Dali and Remedios Varo among others. She then moved to Mexico and continued to paint with her fellow artist Remedios Varo. This painting is loosely inspired by the decadent life of Dagobert, a 7th-century Merovingian king (located in modern-day France), who was known for his amorous exploits. The painting includes several simultaneously unfolding scenes that seem to be the imaginings of the monarch. It’s a dizzyingly layered composition
The art Museum of Philadelphia is currently hosting a major exhibition called Dreamworld: Surrealism at 100 which includes Carrington's painting. I was lucky enough to see a similar surrealist show at the Centre Pompidou in Paris in September 2024. I'm still marveling at the fantastical art works I saw there, alongside viewers from around the world.
My two favorite works in Paris were also by women artists - American Dorothea Tanning and Spanish born Remedios Varo. Both of these surrealists were well represented in the Paris exhibition, though unfortunately the Carrington painting was not included.
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| Dorothea Tanning. Birthday, 1942 |
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| Pappilla Estelar by Remedios Varo, 1958 |
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| Lining up for the Surrealist exhibition at the Centre Pompidou 2024 |
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