Kahlo's Self Portrait with Thorn Necklace and Hummingbird is a wonderful image of a talented painter and her innermost thoughts.įrida Kahlo placed a great importance on animals in her life. When it travels, the painting has its own seat and personal courier. It is an extremely popular and important piece which has been lent to many other museums under strict criteria. The original painting is now housed at the Harry Ransom Center, University of Texas, Austin. The background of the picture is filled with Mexican flora and fauna and provides a contrast with the more open, blank foreground. This was probably a deliberate feminist statement. Whilst the shape of the hummingbird mirrors the monobrow which Kahlo appears to have emphasized, there is also the semblance of a moustache above her mouth.
A bird hangs from her necklace, with an appearance which matches directly with the artist's famous style of eye brow - surely not a coincidence that the two are so similar? The bird's pose could also be a symbol of Christ's Crucifixion, in the same way that others would wear crosses around their neck. Other historians have claimed that the creatures surrounding Kahlo are a further connection to her Christian martyrdom, drawing on other themes from the Bible. The addition of the lifeless hummingbird dangling from her neck is of interest, as hummingbirds are often used to symbolize the Aztec god of War known as "Huitzilopochtli". Many elements of this composition have provided a sense of self-idolisation that has been also identified in some of her other self-portraits.īutterflies appear in her hair as symbols of resurrection too. Kahlo is presenting herself as a martyr, someone who takes on extreme pain and suffering for the benefit of us all, just as Christ is believed to have done. The thorn necklace reflects the pain and suffering she feels and its use in this image has been compared to the crown of thorns worn by Christ. The monkey, often a symbol of the devil, tugs at the thorn necklace around her neck, drawing blood. On her right shoulder sits a unlucky black cat, on her left shoulder is a monkey, possibly one of her pets, a gift from Rivera. Though her eyes do not directly engage with the viewer, they are slightly downcast and appear sad, forcing the viewer to consider her private thoughts and feelings.
The painting is beautifully balanced, Kahlo's face is the focal point of the image. Painting was also a coping mechanism during difficult times and in this fascinating portrait she portrays her feelings using both Christian and Aztec symbology. Kahlo painted fifty-five self portraits and though many saw her as a surrealist, Kahlo commented that she painted "reality" and the subject she knew best - herself. More Audubon prints can be found in this collection of American Songbirds.Ironically, she remarried Rivera later that year and Muray purchased the painting to assist Kahlo's financial situation. Audubon was an artist and naturalist who spent most of his working life painting an illustration of all the bird species of North America. The book is considered to be one of the finest ornithological books ever printed. This beautiful vintage hummingbird print is from the famous Birds of America by John James Audubon (1827). The mangrove hummingbird is only found in the subtropical mangrove forests of Costa Rica. The hummingbird species featured in this print (running from left to right and top to bottom) are as follows:Ĭheck out Haeckel’s Jellyfish, these are stunning too. The hummingbirds in this print are drawn from millinery taxidermy specimens, so some positions are unnatural. This is from Haeckel’s book “ Kunstformen der Natur”. Trochilidae is the scientific family name for hummingbirds. If you then right-click on that print, you will have the option to save it to your device.
A higher resolution image of that bird will open as a new window on your browser.
Hummingbird painting how to#
How To Download The Vintage Hummingbird PrintsĬlick on the title above the print that you want.
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