Which Surrealist artist painted The Giantess, also known as The Guardian of the Egg, in 1947?

Leonora Carrington painted The Giantess, also known as The Guardian of the Egg, in 1947.

The painting shows a monumental female figure in a dreamlike landscape, holding or protecting a large egg. Its imagery reflects Carrington’s recurring interest in transformation, animals, mythology and female power. The egg can suggest birth, potential or a guarded mystery, although the painting does not provide a single official interpretation.

Carrington was born in England and became part of the Surrealist circle after meeting Max Ernst in the 1930s. She later escaped wartime Europe and settled in Mexico, where she developed an influential career as a painter, writer and sculptor.

The work has two widely used titles, so “The Guardian of the Egg” is not a different painting. Carrington’s imagery is also often discussed alongside that of Remedios Varo, but they were distinct artists.