Two Fridas Original

Manuela Bedoya
ARH 1000
Elissa R. Graff
October 9th, 2018
Two Fridas
In the painting “Two Fridas” by Frida Kahlo from 1939, contains a biographical analysis
that connects her personal life with the process of the art piece. The meaning of this artwork is
very related to the circumstances of her life, a way to understand the painting is going back to
her state of mind when Frida was creating the two Fridas. Two women are sitting next to each
other, they appear to be dressed completely different culturally. The woman on the right seems to
be from Mexico and the woman to the left seems to be in a while dress from Europe. Both also
have the connection of an artery of their hearts joining each other. The Frida with the white dress
is holding scissors that are dripping blood on the dress, having the concept of being heartbroken.
Having a space background with dark and light areas, both Fridas stand out in the painting.
During the year that was created Frida wasn’t going through good personal conditions. At
the moment she was going through a breakup with her husband Diego Rivera. This has a lot of
representation about the painting she made, showing how both Fridas have broken hearts that are
connected. Frida Kahlo had the honor to learn from the painter Diego Rivera’s style, his styles
were easy to comprehend with basic mediums. This artwork had a big importance for Frida
because it describes Frida’s pain meanwhile she was going through a divorce with Rivera that
meant a lot for her.

Back in at the time the contemporary audience had to understand the circumstances Frida
was going through. She was reflecting herself with the pain she has had before. In many artworks
she demonstrates the pain she was going through, like many surgeries as treatments due to her
chronic pain. The audience would understand the reason why the main subject of her art was
herself because Frida would mention that she knew herself the best. Her pieces of art reflect her
life events.
The principles of the art work are very natural and simple, in this piece the natural light
can be seen on the skin of both Fridas. The artist also uses directional line as her focal point; the
audience can observe this through the blood and their holding hands that connect both Fridas.
The colors that she mostly used for this painting are contemporary colors like orange, blue, and
white on both of their dresses. She uses design elements like the symmetry of both Fridas that are
aligned and seen to eye level. Frida would express many times how her paintings are not realistic
because it was mostly expressed with feelings and personal sentiments which was more of a
magical realism or surrealism. The use of space in this painting was not very significant for her,
except for the background demonstrating how the ground and sky would come together.
The biographical analysis in this piece takes time in a place when she wasn’t in good
terms with her personal life. In 1939 when the piece was created was the same year she got
divorced to Diego Rivera. Rivera was not only her partner, but he was also her teacher. Most of
the style of art she was influenced with was because of all the teachings from Diego Rivera.
During this year she also suffered from an infection that made her very weak physically. It was a
year of a lot of pain and suffering for her which is very explanatory through her broken heart and
blood on both dresses. The Frida on the right is holding a small portrait of Diego Rivera which
was also the Frida that Rivera wanted to accept instead of the Frida with the European dress that
is holding scissors as a sign of pain and breakup.
This piece has given a representation of her experiences and recent personal problems.
She managed to put ethnicity and genders together as a symbol of her will and intentions towards
her life at the moment. Most of her paintings have to be seem in a way of understanding her life
overall. Her paintings made a big impact on her contemporary audience to understand the
messages behind her paintings and the intentions towards her self-portraits. She also made a big
influence to understand the positive aspect of her life through all her artwork which is inspiring
knowing all the struggles she had during her life physically and mentally.
Works Cited
“Frida Kahlo Fans.” Frida Kahlo, Chronology, Timeline, Time Line, Biography, Bio,
www.fridakahlofans.com/chronologyenglish.html.
“Kahlo, The Two Fridas (Las Dos Fridas).” Khan Academy, Khan Academy,
www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ap-art-history/later-europe-and-americas/modernity-
ap/a/kahlo-the-two-fridas-las-dos-fridas.
Shields , M. Kathryn, et al. Norton Ebooks, Thames & Hudson,
ncia.wwnorton.com/3470/r/goto/cfi/926!/4.

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What is the painting 'Two Fridas' about?

What was Frida Kahlo going through when she painted 'Two Fridas'?

Manuela Bedoya

October 9th, 2018

meant a lot for her.

is holding scissors as a sign of pain and breakup.

Shields , M. Kathryn, et al. Norton Ebooks, Thames & Hudson,

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