14 Facts About Valentine Penrose

Valentine Penrose, was a French surrealist poet, author, and collagist.

In 1925, she married the English artist, historian and poet Roland Valentine Penrose and joined the community of surrealists based in Paris, Mougins and England.

Valentine Penrose died on 7 August 1978 in Chiddingly, East Sussex, England, in the house of her ex-husband.

Valentine Penrose was one of the first of four women to become involved in the surrealist movement.

Valentine Penrose was involved in the publication of Andre Breton's inaugural issue of La Revolution surrealiste; she was one of eight other women who were involved with the journal.

Valentine Penrose wrote surrealist poetry, although she is perhaps best known for her biography of the serial killer Elizabeth Bathory.

Valentine Penrose's poetry reflects her experience of automatic writing, collage and painting techniques such as Max Ernst's frottage and Wolfgang Paalen's fumage.

The difference between Ernst and Valentine Penrose is that Ernst's work represents an over-dramatic dream sequence with dysfunctional and bizarre relationships whereas Valentine Penrose's illustrates the travels of two women and their erotic adventures.

Valentine Penrose was interested in female mysticism, Eastern philosophy, Western mysticism, alchemy and the occult.

Valentine Penrose's work was admired by Paul Eluard, who wrote prefaces for her first collection Herbe a la lune and Dons des feminines.

Valentine Penrose was most outspoken about the brutality and misogyny sometimes depicted by Surrealists and was highly critical of certain figures within the movement, such as Max Ernst, who was notable for his use of collage as a medium.

Valentine Penrose's husband, Roland Penrose, was a primarily visual artist who was a notable figure within the Surrealist movement while associating Valentine Penrose with other Surrealist artists.

Much of Valentine Penrose's art was created using traditional art and collage images which were sourced from common publications such as journals, catalogues and books.

Valentine Penrose's portfolio includes various collages and a collage novel entitled Dons des Feminines, which incorporated her literary background in its composition.