Remedios Varo was born on December 16, 1908, in Anglès, Girona, Spain. She later became a prominent Spanish-Mexican artist known for her enigmatic paintings in the Surrealist movement.

In 1923, as a student at the School of Arts in Madrid, Remedios Varo created her first artwork, painting portraits of herself and her family.

In 1924, Remedios Varo joined the prestigious San Fernando Fine Arts Academy in Madrid, where she later graduated with a diploma in drawing in 1930. It was at this academy that she was introduced to surrealism.

In 1930, Remedios Varo graduated from the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando in Madrid with a degree to teach drawing. This educational milestone marked her early journey towards becoming a renowned artist.

In the summer of 1935, French surrealist Marcel Jean arrived in Barcelona, marking Remedios Varo's formal invitation into Surrealism. Varo, along with Jean, Dominguez, and Francés, participated in various surrealist games like cadavres exquis, exploring subconscious associations through random image pairings.

Remedios Varo's work was exhibited in various Surrealist exhibitions around the globe, including the ground-breaking exhibition, Fantastic Art, Dada, Surrealism at The Museum of Modern Art, New York in 1936.

In 1937, Remedios Varo decided to move to Paris with surrealist painter Esteban Francés and poet Benjamin Péret. This relocation was influenced by the tumultuous events of the Spanish Civil War.

In 1938, Remedios Varo created the painting 'The Souls of the Mountain' in Paris during the Nazi occupation. The artwork symbolizes the confinement and frustration of women artists in a patriarchal society, using rock-hard mountains as cages to represent the overpowering presence of men.

Varo separated from her husband and moved back to Paris with artist and activist Esteban Francés and poet Benjamin Péret to escape the Spanish Civil War. By 1939, she was unable to return to Spain due to the ban on leftist exiles by the Franco regime.

Remedios Varo participated in the Exposición Internacional del Surrealismo in Mexico City in 1940, showcasing her unique artistic style.

In November 1941, Remedios Varo, along with Benjamin Péret and Esteban Francés Rubinstein, boarded the Serpa Pinto in Marseilles to escape the German occupation of Paris during World War II.

By 1947, Remedios Varo's artistic practice was thriving in Mexico. Her drawings and paintings explored otherworldly narrative scenes with supernatural elements.

In 'Allegory of Winter', Varo portrays a frozen landscape with thorny stalks and cocoons, blending naturalist elements with Surrealism-inspired symbolism.

By 1949, Remedios Varo's style of art had already matured, with a collection of 110 artworks out of 140 being created in Mexico.

In 1950, Remedios Varo married Walter Gruen, an Austrian refugee, which allowed her to fully dedicate herself to her art, resulting in a prolific period in her artistic career.

In 1953, Remedios Varo began to focus solely on painting after separating from her husband and being romantically involved with Walter Gruen. Her paintings often featured mystical and alchemical themes.

In 1955, Remedios Varo opened her first solo exhibition at the Galería Diana in Mexico City, which was well received. This event marked a significant milestone in her artistic career as Mexico had opened up to other artistic trends.

Remedios Varo had her first solo exhibition in Mexico City in 1956, which was well-received. This marked a significant milestone in her artistic career.

An artwork by Remedios Varo from 1957, created using ink and gouache on medium weight cardstock.

Remedios Varo's painting 'Creation of the Birds' depicts a surreal owl-woman creature sitting at a desk, drawing birds to life with a violin string and harnessing energy from the stars. The artwork explores Varo's unique creation story and the power of artists to build their own worlds.

A piece by Remedios Varo completed in 1959, made with gouache on cartulina.

In 1960, Varo's representative, Juan Martín, opened his own gallery to showcase her work. This move further solidified Varo's presence in the art world and marked a significant moment in her career.

Remedios Varo painted 'La llamada (The Call)' in 1961. The painting is an oil on Masonite and is part of the collection at the National Museum of Women in the Arts. Varo's work is known for its surrealistic elements.

The National Gallery of Art acquired the painting Banqueros en acción (Bankers in Action) (1962) by Remedios Varo, along with a preparatory drawing of the same scene. The painting showcases Varo's precise working methods and will be displayed in gallery 415B on the Upper Level of the East Building starting April 11, 2024.

Remedios Varo, a renowned Spanish-Mexican surrealist artist, passed away in Mexico City at the age of 54.

In 1971, an exhibition of Remedios Varo's work was held at the Museum of Modern Art in Mexico City, which attracted record attendance figures, surpassing exhibitions for Diego Rivera and José Clemente Orozco.

In 1983, a retrospective of Remedios Varo's work was held in Mexico City. The exhibition showcased her unique style and featured various aspects of her artistic career, including her commercial work and costume design.

Ricardo Ovalle and others compiled a comprehensive catalogue of Remedios Varo's works in 1994, providing detailed insights into her artistic creations.

In 1995, Madonna's music video for her single 'Bedtime Story' was inspired by Remedios Varo's painting titled The Lovers.

In 1997, a publication by Remedios Varo titled 'Cartas, sueños y otros textos' was released in Mexico, providing readers with a deeper understanding of Varo's inner world.

After Remedios Varo's death, her partner Gruen purchased her remaining artworks at an auction and donated them to the Museum of Modern Art in Mexico City in 1999. This act ensured that Varo's unique and imaginative art would be preserved and shared with the public.

In 2000, a retrospective exhibition featuring over fifty of Remedios Varo's works was displayed at the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, DC.

Margarita de Orellana edited a book titled 'Five Keys to the Secret World of Remedios Varo' in 2008, shedding light on different aspects of Varo's artistry.

An article by Ricki O'Rawe explores the themes of 'Personality' and 'Essence' in Remedios Varo's paintings, published in the Hispanic Research Journal in 2014.

A collection of Remedios Varo's letters, dreams, and other writings translated by Margaret Carson was published in 2018, offering a glimpse into Varo's personal thoughts and inspirations.

Gallery Wendi Norris presents the second solo exhibition of Remedios Varo since her passing in 1963, starting on May 16, 2023.

Gallery Wendi Norris is hosting an exhibition showcasing the works of Remedios Varo starting on May 22, 2023.

A short film focusing on the life and works of Remedios Varo is set to be released on June 15, 2023.

An exhibition featuring the works of Remedios Varo is scheduled to take place at Wendi Norris gallery on June 23, 2023.

In 2023, the Art Institute of Chicago held an exhibit of Remedios Varo's work from July 29 through Nov 27, the first to be held of her work in the last 20 years in the U.S. with half of the works seen for the first time in the U.S.

On April 5, 2024, the National Gallery of Art in Washington acquired Remedios Varo's painting titled 'Banqueros en acción' (Bankers in Action) created in 1962. The artwork is an oil painting on fiberboard measuring 60.96 x 69.85 cm.