Portrait of a Woman Scorned
The Fairer Sex Treated Not-So Fairly
Curated by Katherine Anderson

Frida Kahlo, Self Portrait with a Thorn Necklace,1940

Self Portrait with a Thorn Necklace epitomizes all we have come to know about Frida Kahlo - bold, bright colors, close ties to nature, a stolid expression, and of course the signature unibrow. Like many of her paintings, Self Portrait with a Thorn Necklace portrays the many hardships she experienced throughout her life - an abusive marriage to artist Diego Rivera, numerous bouts with polio, a traumatic car accident that led to multiple miscarriages, and a constant questioning of her sexuality - through the use of subtle natural symbols.

Despite the common notion of nature as freeing, Frida Kahlo illustrates herself as trapped and punished by these forces. The leaves surrounding her head seem uniform, showing the futility in trying to find newness. The animals behind her at first appear like guardians, but at a closer glance, they seem to be leeching off of Kahlo, adding an air of hopelessness to the painting. The thorn necklace is a direct allusion to the execution of Christ, implying that the sins of her country are unforgivable. Finally, the dead hummingbird hanged around her neck shows the ultimate demise of happiness. Despite the painting's bright colors and initial liveliness, Self Portrait with a Thorn Necklace clearly exhibits Kahlo's depression.