Frida Kahlo

Question 1

Title of Painting:

Date:

Materials:

Answer 1

Self Portrait with Thorn Necklace and Hummingbird

1940

Oil on Canvas

Question 2

Composition/Arrangement

Answer 2

1. Symmetrical & Balanced
2. Taken at eye level (direct gaze)
3. She is in the middle and is the focal point + subject
4. Has the affect of drawing attention to her face

Question 3

Media handling and/or techniques

Answer 3

1. Painted to look realist and life like
2. Uses oil on canvas
3. Quite blended
4. Makes it seem more life like to increase impact

Question 4

Colour

Answer 4

1. Very vibrant, bright but also natural colours
2. Colours taken from her surroundings in Mexico
3. Darker colours seem slightly sinister and are placed in an even arrangement

Question 5

Tone

Answer 5

1. Use of shadows in background and in her dress to add realism to painting
2. Contrast of light and dark (animals and the dress)
3. Warm tones mainly found in Frida
4. Painting has slightly yellow under tones

Question 6

Line

Answer 6

1. All lines lead to her face
2. The lines in the leaves are quite shaded to add depth
3. Twisted thorns show pain and struggle

Question 7

Texture

Answer 7

1. The painting would have a flat surface
2. There is furry textures in animals, and soft textures in the hair and dress
3. These would contrast the sharp and rough texture of the thorns
4. The leaves have a rubbery and shiny texture

Question 8

Pattern

Answer 8

1. Thorns appear chaotic and irregular
2. Leaves are repeated and form a frame around her face but remain irregular
3. The background has the repeating element of leaves but the foreground appears symmetrical and balanced

Question 9

Shale and/or form

Answer 9

1. Similar shape found in the mockingbirds wings and Frida’s eyebrow
2. Flys wings ressemble shape of leaves
3. All shapes appear rather round and soft
4. The repeating shape in background makes Frida Kahlo stand out

Question 10

Scale

Answer 10

1. 47cm x 61cm making it relatively life sized
2. Everything appears to be in scale
3. Has the impact of her looking at the viewer

Question 11

Style

Answer 11

1. Paints in a realistic way but with hints of abstract and uses a lot of symbolism
2. The exaggeration of her facial hair slightly caricatures her
   3.

Question 12

Subject Matter/Imagery

Answer 12

1. Thorns represent pain and paralysis the experienced through her accident
2. Thorns represent struggle and confusion
3. Animals maybe act as children symbolic of her inability to give birth after her accident
4. Her clothing and headpiece are symbolic of traditional Mexico

Question 13

Mood and Atmosphere

Answer 13

1. Serious but slightly mysterious
2. She has a stern look on her face
3. The thorns and blood created pain in the atmosphere