Carrington's 1940 Hospital Painting Debuts in London

Get the Culture newsletter
Daily culture — film, music, books, the trends and ideas worth your attention. Free.
- Leonora Carrington painted "Villa Pilar" in 1940 while confined at Sanatorium Morales in Santander, Spain.
- Villa Pilar will be publicly displayed for the first time at the Freud Museum in London this summer, prompting the exhibition to extend to August 10.
- Villa Pilar is scheduled to travel to the new Faro Santander arts centre in September after its London showing.
- Dr. Luis Morales encouraged Carrington to sketch daily, resulting in the two paintings "Down Below" and "Villa Pilar" that portray the hospital as an underworld.
- Vanessa Boni, curator of the exhibition, describes the work as a "parting gift" to thank Morales for his role in Carrington’s recovery.
Why it matters: The Freud Museum and the new Faro Santander arts centre gain a high‑profile exhibit, drawing visitors and boosting ticket revenue, while the Morales family’s private collection finally reaches a public audience, enhancing Carrington scholarship.




