Frida Kahlo and The Wounded Deer

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Kahlo, Frida. The Wounded Deer. 1946. 
                       (Image from fridakahlo.org)                      

Frida Kahlo
(Image from fridakahlo.org)
Artist Background

    We cannot discuss women in modern art without mentioning Frida Kahlo. Kahlo was born in 1907 in Coyoacán, Mexico City. As a child, she was very close with her father, who was in the photography business. Kahlo had a rich and expansive academic background growing up. At 18, Kahlo was involved in a near fatal bus accident that left her bedridden. During this time, she picked up art after being given paints and an easel by her parents. In 1929, she married renowned artist Diego Rivera, with whom she shared a tumultuous relationship with, due to numerous infidelities. Kahlo suffered many health issues in her life, including two miscarriages. Much of her work were self-portraits, most often with elements of surrealism or magic realism and usually some haunting imagery. 

Artwork Background

    The Wounded Deer was painted in 1946. The painting shows a young deer with the face of Kahlo. Scattered on the body of the deer are arrows which penetrate the flesh, making the deers body bleed. The surroundings of the deer show frayed and hazily colored trees. In the front of the deers body is a broken branch. In the further background, the ocean is shown with a cloudy, dull sky. What appears to be flashes of lightning strike from the clouds. All of these desolate, dimly toned surroundings cause the deer to appear stranded and alone. According to the website fridakahlo.org, Kahlo underwent spinal surgery in 1946 with hopes of relieving some of the pain she spent much of her life battling. However, the surgery turned out to be less-than successful. It is believed that The Wounded Deer represents the physical and likely emotional pain that Kahlo experienced due to the surgery. 

"I never paint dreams or nightmares. I paint my own reality." - Frida Kahlo (Quote retrieved from fridakahlo.com)


Elements and Principles of Design

    The colors of the painting are very natural and true to an outdoor, woodsy environment, which may suggest Kahlo's longing to be outdoors as she rested post-surgery. The trees that stand in a line to the left of the deer's body create movement to the background of the piece, which causes the viewer to examine the ocean and cloudy sky. Texture is a huge component of this piece. The fur of the deer appears to be very soft. This is highlighted by the changes in luster of its coat and the shadows that are cast upon it. The floor of the forest is speckled with different colored leaves but still has a mossy appearance. The deers fur and the forest floor have textures which create a feeling of warmth and softness. The bark of the trees is frayed, in some areas broken, but the blended colors create a smooth finish. This creates contrast. 

Analysis and Relationship to Modern Art Movement 

    According to the website The Art Story, the morphing of Kahlo's head onto the body of a male deer suggests that Kahlo was interested in portraying an androgyne as well as with aligning herself with other artists, who were predominantly male. This piece stuck out to me for these reasons. To morph oneself onto the body of animal, in what seems to be such a casual way by the looks of Kahlo's facial expression, is an interesting and striking image. Part of her influence throughout all of her art was magic realism as well as surrealism. While surrealism pertained more to the subconscious of the artist, magic realism combined fantastical elements with otherwise realistic elements. Magic realism was particularly prevalent in Latin America during the modern art period, not just in painting, but in literature as well. I found this painting to be unique in that it comes from a place of physical pain. Often and stereotypically, we picture artists as people with mental and emotional pain, who then turn to the craft to depict that pain. And while Kahlo herself did the same on multiple occasions, the idea of turning to the practice of painting when in physical pain, is a motivation not often discussed. 

Reader Questions: How does the morphing of Khalo's head and the deer's body affect the painting's atmosphere? 

    

Other Sources Used

The Art Story 

FridaKhalo.org

Tate Museum      

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