Of their love, Kahlo once said, "I have suffered two grave accidents in my life, one in which a streetcar knocked me down . Kahlo's painting proved to be eerily prescient when she remarried Rivera in December of 1940. In Mexican culture, the hummingbird is a symbol of good luck-but notice the black cat ready to pounce. Its hummingbird is a symbol of hope …Ĭlearly painted during a dark time in her life, Kahlo shows her wish for love renewed with the little bird dangling from her necklace of thorns. The butterflies on Kahlo's head have been interpreted as symbols of her own personal resurrection, leading some to believe that Kahlo is comparing herself directly to Jesus Christ. Self-Portrait with Thorn Necklace and Hummingbird may be blasphemous.Īrt historians note that Kahlo's simple white frock hints at martyrdom, while the thorn necklace can be seen as a reference to Jesus's crown of thorns, worn as he dragged his cross to be crucified. She'd also split from photographer Nickolas Muray, who purchased Self-Portrait with Thorn Necklace and Hummingbird when Kahlo was struggling financially. Rivera wasn't the only love Kahlo left in 1939. The couple's 10-year marriage was tumultuous Kahlo and Rivera became notorious for their constant fighting and frequent infidelity. It's believed the thorn necklace piercing Kahlo's neck reflects the pain she was experiencing over this separation. In 1929, Kahlo wed fellow Mexican painter Diego Rivera. These self-portraits have often been described as surreal, but the groundbreaking artist answered such comments with, "They thought I was a Surrealist, but I wasn’t.
Over the years, it became her habit to paint a portrait of herself whenever she was troubled. Its creation was part of Kahlo's coping ritual.īedbound while recovering from a grisly streetcar accident, a young Kahlo taught herself to paint. Explaining her penchant for the style, Kahlo said, "I paint myself because I am so often alone, because I am the subject I know best." 2. Though she'd go on to make 143 paintings in her life, Kahlo was best known for her reflective self-portraits that laid bare the tragedies she'd endured. It is one of 55 self-portraits Kahlo painted in her lifetime. Self-Portrait with Thorn Necklace and Hummingbird is her most popular, and also one that contains many tokens of her life and work. For further information please contact NPG Copyright.Surrealist painter Frida Kahlo has been called one of Mexico's greatest artists because of her brutal and revealing self-portraits. Requests for a reproduction of a work of art or other content can be made through a Reproduction request. The use of images of works of art reproduced on this website and all other content may be restricted under the Australian Copyright Act 1968 (Cth). The National Portrait Gallery respects the artistic and intellectual property rights of others. Copyright in all materials and/or works comprising or contained within this website remains with the National Portrait Gallery and other copyright owners as specified. This website comprises and contains copyrighted materials and works. We respectfully advise that this site includes works by, images of, names of, voices of and references to deceased people. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders past and present. The National Portrait Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities.