Rogomelec, Fini Leonor, Eburne Jonathan P., Kulik William T.

The first translation of Leonor Finis voluptuous and antipatriarchal gothic novel

Originally published in French in 1979, Rogomelec was the third of Leonor Finis novels. All the qualities of the paintings for which she is famed can be found in it: an undermining of patriarchy, the ambiguities of gender and the slipperiness of desire, along with darker hints of cruelty and the voluptuousness of fear.

This novellas ambiguous narrator sets off for the isolated locale of Rogomelec--where a crumbling monastery serves as a sanatorium and offers a cure involving a diet of plants and flowers--and moves through a waking dream of strangely scented monks, vibratory concerts in a cavernous ossuary and ritualist pomp with costumes of octopi and shining beetles. As the days unfold, the narrator discovers that the the celebration of the king is approaching, the events of which will lead to a shocking discovery in Rogomelecs Gothic ruins.

This first English translation includes 14 drawings by Fini that accompanied the novellas original publication.

Born in Argentina and raised in Italy, Leonor Fini (1907-96) concluded a rebellious youth with a move to Paris, where there followed six decades of work as artist, illustrator, designer and author with ties to the Surrealist movement. Rejecting the role of muse, her work focused on portrayals of women as subjects with desire rather than objects of desire. She was featured in MoMAs landmark 1936 exhibition Fantastic Art, Dada, Surrealism, and imagery from her painting Le Bout du Monde was used by Madonna in her 1994 video Bedtime Story. Finis first Paris show was curated by Christian Dior; while working for Schiaparelli she designed the bottle for Shocking, the designers top-selling perfume (and the acknowledged inspiration for Gaultiers torso-shaped bottles). She also designed the costumes for two films, Renato Castellanis Romeo and Juliet (1954) and John Hustons A Walk with Love and Death (1968). Fini is also well known for her illustrations for Pauline Reages Story of O (one of her costumes inspired the books final scene).