The Two Fridas Description

The Two Fridas by Frida Kahlo (1939)

In one of her most popular and well-known works, Frida Kahlo's 1939 painting, The Two Fridas, was created as a  result of the emotionally and physically painful aftermath of her and Diego Rivera's bitter and messy divorce.

The double self-portrait carries heavy symbolism that references not only Rivera, but other aspects of Kahlo's life as well. As a duel-heritage citizen, prior to their marriage, Khalo dressed in European attire, however due to Rivera's passionate nationalism, Kahlo dressed in more traditional Mexican clothing to appeal to her husband's liking better. The two styles are portrayed as the 'two Fridas.' She had always felt that the Frida on the right was the one that Rivera loved, hence the picture of him in the locket in that figure's hand. The heart of the figure is also whole while the figure on the left is damaged and 'broken' because of Rivera's love for that version and the connection between his love versus the disconnection between his love and the version on the left. The scissors in the hand of the left Frida also symbolize the severing of the ties between her and Rivera.

Kahlo and Rivera's relationship are not the only represented in the massive oil painting however. The blood on the white dress is a reference to her fertility. 17 years prior to her creation of The Two Fridas, she was in a bus accident that left her with severe injuries. Over the years, Kahlo underwent many surgeries and suffered chronic pain. The injuries are also believed to have been the cause of several miscarriages throughout Kahlo's life, symbolized by the blood's location in the painting.

Overall, the composition generates a rather sad and tragic scene in which Kahlo was forced to endure every day for the rest of her life.