Niki de Saint Phalle was a French self-taught artist, best known for her colorful, sculptural female figures called the Nanas, which embody feminist themes. Born on October 29, 1930, she became part of the Nouveau Réalisme movement, alongside artists like Christo and Yves Klein. Influenced by Antoni Gaudí’s architecture, de Saint Phalle spent over two decades creating Il Giardino dei Tarocchi (The Tarot Garden) in Tuscany, a whimsical installation with 22 monumental sculptures. She passed away on May 21, 2002, and her works are now held in major collections such as MoMA and The Courtauld Institute.