Frida Kahlo's Self-portrait Dedicated to Dr. Eloesser That Could Be Read as a Symbo
ART HISTORY
SYMBOLISM AND METAPHOR IN FRIDA KAHLO PAINTINGS
"I paint myself because I'thousand and then often lone and considering I am the subject I know all-time." – Frida Kahlo (1907-1954)
Frida Kahlo had painted 143 pieces of work – 55 of which were cocky-portraits. Kahlo'southward artwork, specially her cocky-portraits, are auto-biographical – each one depicting a moment in her life or political bug in her home land of Mexico. In her paintings are symbols and metaphors that reflect on her emotions, her pain and anguish, even her nighttime humour. Unashamedly baring her soul through her artwork.
Organized religion AND ANIMAL SYMBOLISM
Arguably her most meaning self-portrait, 'Self- Portrait with Thorn Necklace and Hummingbird' (1940), Kahlo painted this slice presently after her divorce with Diego Rivera. The painting depicts Kahlo, standing in front of a woods of tropical leaves, dressed in a white gown and wearing a thorn necklace with a black hummingbird pendant attached to the necklace and resting on her throat. On her left shoulder sits a black cat or panther, and on her right, a blackness monkey. Ii butterflies rest on her headdress and two dragonflies fly overhead.
The spikes on the thorn necklace, puncturing her skin and causing her to bleed, holds religious connotations, reflecting on Jesus' crown of thorns he wore when he was crucified. This could be an expression of the death of her marriage and the pain she had to suffer. In expiry, comes new life and promise for the futurity and the collywobbles are thought to be a symbol of resurrection and rebirth subsequently her divorce. With these two symbols, Kahlo is likening herself to a christian martyr.
The hummingbird is a symbol of hope and good luck for falling in love in Mexican culture. Nonetheless, the fact that the hummingbird is black, attached to the necklace of thorns and appears lifeless, could exist reflective of the desolation Kahlo had felt. Some other interpretation is that the hummingbird refers to the Aztec god of war, Huitzilopochtli (whose proper name translates as 'Southern Hummingbird' or 'Left-handed Hummingbird'), who hurts Kahlo, causing her misery.
The blackness true cat or panther that sits on her left shoulder signifies bad luck and death. The animal itself is commonly associated with bad luck and together with information technology sitting on her left shoulder, where the devil would sit down, only enhances this notion.
Diego Rivera had gifted Kahlo a monkey for a pet and and so the monkey depicted in the painting could be directly referencing Rivera – the monkey on her back. Moreover, the monkey appears to be tugging at the thorn necklace, inflicting pain upon Kahlo and causing her to bleed.
This is not the only painting we meet of organized religion and animals represented in Kahlo'southward work 'The Wounded Deer' (1946) portrays the creative person as a deer, active and alert, with its front correct leg elevated. The deer has been struck past nine arrows that crusade it to drain from the wounds. The deer is located in a dumbo forest with a immigration that leads to a trunk of water.
In 1946, Kahlo had an operation on her spine in the hope that the surgery would cure her of the crippling back pain. The operation failed. 'The Wounded Deer' was painted shortly afterwards the surgery.
Portraying herself as the wounded deer is a direct portrayal of her own concrete and emotional suffering. The deer'due south raised right leg suggests that the animal has been injured in some way. This could exist a mirroring of Kahlo's own impairment.
Similar 'Self- Portrait with Thorn Necklace and Hummingbird', the religious influence is also integrated into this painting. The context of the painting is often likened to Andrea Mantegna'due south 'Saint Sebastian' (1480). Saint Sebastian met his death when he was tied to a tree and shot by arrows.
Information technology'south non just Christianity that Kahlo integrates into 'The Wounded Deer'. She also plays with the thought of destiny and fate. In the bottom left corner of the painting, below the creative person's signature reads 'carma' (a Bhuddest concept). Kahlo has accepted that her destiny is to remain in excruciating pain and suffering.
NUMERIC SYMBOLISM
More than just animal and religious symbolism, numeric symbolism is present in 'The wounded deer'. Specifically the number 9. Nine times has the deer been struck by arrows and nine trees are painted to the left before the clearing. Co-ordinate to the Aztec calendar, Kahlo was born on the ninth solar day. But more than that, the number nine is a symbol of the nine phases of the underworld. (Grimberg, Salomon. Frida Kahlo: Song of Herself. 2008) Another theory on Kahlo's reference to the number 9 is that, nailed to the cross, Jesus Christ finally dies in the ninth hour.
SYMBOLS OF LOVE AND UNION
Kahlo had gifted her husband 'Diego and Frida 1929-1944' (1944) on their 15th nuptials ceremony. The painting is a representation of Kahlo's deep, unconditional honey for her husband, despite their tempestuous relationship. She paints her and her husband'south portraits as one. Bounding the two together is a thicket of thorny branches, reiterating their deep love for one some other. To the right of the double portrait, the artist depicts the moon and the sun – another swell pairing.
What's particularly unique virtually this painting is that Kahlo had carefully created the shell frame, which was painted similar jewels. She likewise paints a scallop and conch below the double portrait. Being a symbol of their love wedlock, Kahlo is eager to include shells into this painting. After all, it is a wedding anniversary souvenir.
MEXICAN HERITAGE AND NATIONALISM
Frida Kahlo was heavily influenced by the Mexicayotl motion, which sprung from the colonialist mindset that native Mexican civilization is inferior and that Mexico should emulate Europe. The Mexicayotl motility aimed at protecting the indigenous civilisation and traditions amidst the Mexican people.
In most of Kahlo'due south cocky-portraits, she paints herself in traditional indigenous Mexican apparel. She wears long, colourful skirts, huiplis (loose-plumbing fixtures tunic), rebozos (shawls) and elaborate headdresses. Painting herself in the Tehuana dress was a chance for Kahlo to express her anti-colonialist ideas and pay homage to her ethnic beginnings.
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Source: https://upncoming.art/art-history/symbolism-metaphor-frida-kahlo/
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