Description
Lifting nature (Tondo): A deep look at Frida Kahlo's work
Frida Kahlo, one of the most recognized artists of the twentieth century, is known for its intensely personal self -portraits and its bold color use. However, his work dead nature (Tondo) offers us a different vision of his talent and his artistic perspective. This painting, although less known than some of his other works, is a testimony of his ability to transform everyday objects into an intriguing visual narrative.
Lifting nature (Tondo) is an oil painting on Masonita, created in 1953, a year before Kahlo's death. Unlike its self -portraits, this work is a dead nature, a genre that Kahlo explored several times throughout his career. The term around in the title refers to the circular form of the painting, a format that goes back to Renaissance art and that Kahlo used in several of his works.
The composition of a dead nature (Tondo) is remarkably balanced and harmonious. Kahlo has a variety of fruits and vegetables on a plate, creating a circle inside the circle of the Tondo. The colors are vibrant and rich, with red, yellow and green tones that give life to the work. The paint is both realistic and stylized, with each fruit and vegetable painted with a meticulous detail that contrasts with the smooth background and without ornaments.
Although at first glance, a dead nature (Tondo) may seem simply a representation of fruits and vegetables, Kahlo infuses the work with a deeper symbolism. Open and cut fruits can be interpreted as a reference to fertility and femininity, recurring themes in Kahlo's work. In addition, the presence of a sugar skull in the composition can be an allusion to the Mexican celebration of the Day of the Dead, a reminder of mortality that contrasts with the vitality of fruits.
A less known aspect of a dead nature (Tondo) is his connection with Kahlo's personal life. At the time of its creation, Kahlo was dealing with significant health problems and his marriage to Diego Rivera was in crisis. Some art critics suggest that Kahlo's choice to paint a dead nature, a genre traditionally considered inferior to the portrait or landscape, may have been a way of expressing its feeling of impotence and frustration.
In short, dead nature (Tondo) is a work that deserves more detailed attention. Although he may not have the emotional immediacy of some of Kahlo's self -portraits, this painting reveals his ability to infuse even the most everyday objects with a depth of meaning and emotion. It is one more proof of Kahlo's versatility and talent as an artist, and a fascinating piece in the puzzle of his life and work.