Frida Kahlo one of the most recognized Mexican artists, distinguished for her autobiographical creations; Of the 143 paintings of hers, more than 50 are self-portraits. From her painful life – marked by illness and a tempestuous relationship with the Mexican artist Diego Rivera – Frida created works that marked Latin American art. In “Self-Portrait with a Necklace of Thorns” she reflects her suffering after her divorce from Rivera in 1939.
In this work, Frida Kahlo paints herself from the front with a crown of thorns in the form of a necklace. The thorns sink into her neck representing her pain after the divorce. A dead hummingbird hangs from his necklace, its outstretched wings imitating Frida’s eyebrows. On her left shoulder is a black cat ready to pounce on him. hummingbird On his right shoulder is his monkey, a pet that he gave him. Diego Rivera.
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Self-portrait with necklace of thorns and hummingbird was painted by Frida Kahlo in 1940.
Like most of Frida’s works, “Self-portrait with a necklace of thorns” reflects the turbulent universe of the artist; a world in which pain and struggle were a constant. Its strong symbolic load refers to Christianity and Amerindian culture, thus, Kahlo is portrayed as a proud mestiza.
Regarding her insistence on portraying herself, Frida said: “I paint self-portraits because I am alone a lot. I paint myself because I am the one I know best.”
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Some symbols of “Self-portrait with thorns”
Some symbols of “Self-portrait with thorns and hummingbird”
- Face: As in religious icons, Frida places her face in the center, making it the focus of the painting. Her gaze reflects both her suffering and her resistance to him. Her hairstyle, traditionally Mexican, honors her country of origin.
- Color and nature: The vivid colors of the leaves behind Frida express her fascination with Mexican nature. Dragonflies and butterflies, Christian symbols of hope and rebirth, show her reluctance to give up in the face of pain.
- Necklace: The necklace of thorns refers to the crown of Christ, showing the suffering and humiliation that Frida experienced. He hummingbird hanging from it is a Mexican folklore symbol of luck in love, often used to invoke a new romance. However, he is dead, thus showing Kahlo’s disillusionment.
- Black cat: The black cat, a Western symbol of bad luck, is in an attack position, looking menacingly at the hummingbird. It also reflects the artist’s love for animals. During her life she took care of several, especially after realizing that she would not be able to have children.
- Bun: In Christianity the monkey is often used to represent the devil and lust. However, for Frida, she represented the love that she did not receive from her husband. The playful nature of this animal may also symbolize the child she could not have because of his poor health.