Little Hermit Sphinx

Mediums: oil, canvas.
Location: The Tate Gallery, London (the UK).

This is one of Fini’s key works of the post-war period. The plot is confusing: an open doorway of a decrepit and verdurous building with broken paints and dilapidated furniture; Little Hermit Sphinx is not just sitting, but seems to be meditating on the floor among the debris (bone, skull, leaves, shell). It could be taken for a child, if not for a paw, peeking out from under a black raincoat. The presence of a bloody object hanging from the ceiling (perhaps, these are lungs), aggravating the atmosphere of anxiety, is completely incomprehensible. Nevertheless, according to art historians, Fini was within the limits of a specific female theme. This is a self-portrait, reflecting the state of Leonors mind after she did abortion. She did it being scared of giving birth to the child; the empty shell symbolizes loss.