Leonora Carrington masterfully commands her painterly language of visual semiotics in the present work, executed in 1951. In Carrington’s work, beetles and phoenixes carry profound symbolic weight, embodying themes of transformation, rebirth, and the cyclical nature of life. As a Surrealist deeply interested in mythology, alchemy, and esoteric symbolism, Carrington infused her art with creatures that symbolize the mysterious and often hidden forces of the universe.

Beetles in Carrington's work are symbolic of metamorphosis and resilience. Drawing from ancient mythologies, beetles, especially scarabs, have long been associated with regeneration, protection, and rebirth. In Egyptian lore, for instance, the scarab was a symbol of the sun god Ra, representing the cycle of the sun's rebirth each day.

Similarly, the phoenix, a mythical bird that rises from its ashes, symbolizes rebirth, transformation, and the transcendence of mortality. These themes were of particular interest to Carrington, with her fascination in alchemy and mysticism. Throughout her oeuvre, phoenixes embody the idea of regeneration and the continual renewal of the self.

The mythical phoenix and symbolically-charged beetle serve as powerful metaphors for personal and spiritual transformation, a recurring theme in Carrington’s life as she sought to transcend societal norms and limitations through her art.