The Catalan artist Àngel Planells began training in 1917 to become an engraver, but after two and a half years, he turned his attention to painting. In 1936 Planells exhibited three paintings, including Midday Sorrow, in the first International Surrealist Exhibition at the New Burlington Galleries in London. At the time, this was the foremost major exhibition to survey the history of Surrealism. The first owner of this painting was Roland Penrose, one of the primary organizers of the exhibition. An artist and poet, Penrose was married to the photographer Lee Miller, who was the subject of many Surrealist works, and was a close friend of many Surrealist artists.