Leonor Fini – The Botany Lesson, original silkscreen print signed N/Z

Leonor Fini – The Botany Lesson: Nature, Desire, and Surrealism

The Botany Lesson is a original silkscreen print by Leonor Fini which finely illustrates one of the central themes of his work: the relationship between the human body and the plant world. Created circa 1970 and numbered N/Z in an ultra-limited edition of 26 copies, this print is among the most confidential pieces in the artist's graphic production.

The scene depicts two figures contemplating a flower whose deliberately ambiguous form oscillates between botany and eroticism. This play on double meaning is characteristic of Leonor Fini's visual vocabulary, which has consistently blurred the boundaries between the natural and the carnal, between scientific observation and sensual reverie. The title, with its ironic wink, reinforces this tension: the "lesson" Fini offers is neither scientific nor moral, but rather an unabashed celebration of sensuality.

The artist, who associated with Salvador Dalí, Jean Cocteau and Max Ernst without ever allowing himself to be confined to a movement, draws here from a vein close to Georgia O'Keeffe while retaining the strangeness and mystery characteristic of European surrealism.

Technical characteristics of this print by Leonor Fini

This screen print is produced on Rives paper, a high-end medium that guarantees color fidelity and the longevity of the artwork. The screen printing technique gives the flat areas remarkable density and luminosity, particularly visible in the rendering of the petals and skin tones.

The format – H 67,5 × W 50 cm (H 26.6 × W 19.7 in) – is identical to the other screenprints in the same alphabetical series, suggesting they were produced as part of the same editorial project. The print comes with a mat, ready for framing.

Conservation state

The work is in perfect condition. The Rives paper is intact, without foxing, creases, or discoloration. The colors have retained all their original freshness, and Leonor Fini's handwritten signature is perfectly clear.

4. TEAM OPINION THE AUCTIONLAB

The Botany Lesson is one of those works by Leonor Fini whose title is almost a trap: one expects a demure illustration, and instead discovers a sensual meditation on form and desire. This is Fini's genius, this art of subtly weaving double meanings beneath an appearance of classical elegance. With only 26 copies printed, this silkscreen on Rives paper is a prized acquisition for collectors seeking both rarity and profound meaning. The pristine condition of this print further enhances its appeal.

— The team The Auctionlab