La sorcière 1935 - 1936

Curator: Here we have Léonor Fini's *La Sorcière*, dating from 1935-1936. Fini, of course, was a major figure in 20th-century Surrealism. Editor: It strikes me immediately as… defiant. The starkness of the figure against the background, the assertive gaze…there’s power here. A disruptive force made manifest. Curator: Exactly. Fini often explored themes of female empowerment and the subversion of traditional gender roles in her art. The figure's nudity here becomes a form of resistance rather than mere objectification, and how might the figure relate to contemporaneous understandings of witchcraft? Editor: It's fascinating how Fini utilizes the traditional archetype of the witch to dismantle patriarchal norms. Her unconventional composition forces us to confront societal expectations surrounding women, power, and sexuality. Notice the unsettling combination of sensuality and threat? This is a woman taking charge, reshaping her destiny. Her gaze says everything. Curator: Precisely! Think about the historical construction of the witch. Usually it has been associated with marginalized women—accused of disrupting the social order. In this light, the broomstick held here is less a symbol of domesticity and more one of actively cleaning away outdated, unjust systems. What do you make of the scattered coins and papers underfoot? Editor: Destruction, perhaps? A rejection of material wealth or perhaps intellectual dogma that no longer serves a purpose. Maybe a critical commentary of institutions and ideologies that have historically oppressed women, or just the patriarchy itself. The work refuses any singular, simple reading. It acknowledges complexities. It embraces them, even. Curator: Agreed, this painting really allows for complex understandings about identity and challenges viewers to actively think about our presumptions. I come away from this with an invitation to explore the narratives of the marginalized and reassess inherited biases. Editor: For me, Fini's "witch" offers a roadmap for rebellion and demonstrates art's potential for both critique and emancipation. An artwork I keep thinking about!