Frida Kahlo

1075 Words3 Pages

Frida Kahlo is one of history’s most iconic surrealist painters of the 20th Century. Her self-portraits that illustrate major events in her life are what made her name and style become recognisable among many today. Her artwork was created based on experiences she encountered from as young as age 18 and has developed its own way of retelling a story that was so prominent in her everyday life. The structural and personal frameworks that are found throughout her many paintings have all collectively revealed the in depth ideas and influences that she abided with. An excellent example of a painting for this is The Broken Column which was painted in 1946 just after she underwent surgery on her spine. The significant aspects that is seen in the painting …show more content…

Her ideas and experiences not only shaped the significance of her surrealist depictions, it exhibited the elements and principles that is behind the painting’s meaning and emotional response. The personal frameworks identified in the painting is shown in great detail. The figure is easily identified as Kahlo herself due the iconic unibrow on her face and the structure of her own facial features. A significant aspect of the piece that is linked to Kahlo’s life is the appearance of the column in her body. Its shattered and unstable look could be a direct reference to what was occurring at the time. Just before this painting was started, Khalo went under spinal surgery due to one of the many damages that was caused when she got into an accident at age 18. This also opens more connections to the key features of the painting. The white sheet might be …show more content…

Throughout the painting, the use of many elements and principles is shown with the themes of emotion. Simple aspects of colour, tone and texture all collectively work together to formulate a sense of feeling in what is shown. The colours may be neutral in tone, but they assist in expressing the emotions of the piece as a whole. Texture is also another element that demonstrates this in collaboration with the tone to create a realistic yet surrealistic aspect to the painting. The figure’s nude torso is an example of this. The exposure that is exhibited not only emits an impression of shame, it carves out a feeling of vulnerability that is aimed at the audience. Kahlo may not be shamed for the the nudity in the piece, but it is able to frame a solid aspect that the susceptible to shame the position of the figure in the painted depicts a loss that Kahlo is experiencing. The tears on her face also carries this meaning. Her lack of smile indicates that this is sadness or disappointment being shown in the piece. The solemn landscape that is seen in the background also portrays a sense of emotion. The form of the cracks in the ground lead to the possibility that Kahlo is feeling broken and deserted. Her personal issues with her husband or other emotions related to her affairs with others also could be determined by the emotion depicted. The balance demonstrated by the position of the main figure is

Open Document