Frida Kahol

1943This is yet another self-portrait in which Frida includes her pet monkeys. This painting was produced during her most prolific period, the early 1940s, in which she created several self-portraits. The background is one of tropical plants which is a common background theme used in many of her paintings.In this self-portrait Frida may be portraying herself in an academic setting. In the year this self-portrait was painted, Frida accepted a teaching position at the School of Painting and Sculpture in Mexico City. Soon after, Frida's health took a turn for the worse and classes had to be held in her home in Coyoacán. Eventually the class dwindled to only four loyal students who called themselves "Los Fridos". Here, Frida may be portraying herself as the teacher surrounded by her four remaining students (the four monkeys).The painting reflects a stern-looking Frida Kahlo, with attention being drawn to her thick, dark-black, knitted-together eyebrows, her trademark feature. She dons a traditional Mexican necklace, and her hair is elegantly tied up into tight braids, revealing her long, graceful neck. Behind her is a thick jungle of oversized trees and hairy leaves, a significant confirmation of her love for the garden she maintained at the Blue House, where she was born and raised. The monkey reflects the great importance she placed on animals. It has been speculated that Kahlo was fond of the many animals that roamed the Blue House because they helped fill the void and loneliness she felt in her life. | | Oil on canvas