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Frida Kahlo

Self-Portrait with Thorn Necklace and Hummingbird

1940

Oil paint

Period: surrealism

Kahlo’s work of thorn necklace and hummingbird contains a lot of symbolism to do with her life events at the time she divorced form her husband and ended her affair, this is reflected in her work. The painting can be interpreted in different ways and also contains religious symbols such as the thorns which could represent the crucifixion of Christ but also the pain she felt from her failed romantic life however she also represents hope in the painting my adding a hummingbird which is believed to bring luck and hope in Mexican culture.

The composition of the painting is well balanced with Kahlo as the focal point, the painting is symmetrical which creates really nice leading lines throughout the painting, the use of colour is also really well balanced she uses a vivid green for the background which contrasts everything in the foreground beautifully. The paint used is blended very finely and creates a overall flawless finish.

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The Wounded Deer, 1946 by Frida Kahlo

Period: surrealism

Medium: oil paint

In this painting, Frida used a deer with the head of herself and a crown of antlers while the deer is fatally injured by arrows. This painting could refer to the events in her life. In 1946 Frida Kahlo had an operation on her spine in New York. The surgery was meant to free her from the severe back pain but it failed. This painting expressed her disappointment towards the operation.

The mood of the painting is one of helplessness, combined with the inspiration behind the work, it contains themes of depression and hopelessness and has a lot a symbolism to do with how she felt after the botched surgery, which is represented by the injured deer and through the chaotic background of broken branch’s and lightning adds an aspect of fear and desperation.

The painting has a good composition and form with the deer being the focal point and the trees and antlers leading the viewers eyes back through the painting towards the lighting. The broken branch in the foreground adds depth and perspective to the size of everything else in the painting and also creates leading lines.

Kahlo used oil paint in this painting which she finely blended to create a variety of rich colours in the painting, Kahlo also used her pet deer as a model for this painting and used mirrors for her self portraits. Through Kahlo’s use of brushstrokes and colour she creates texture within the painting by applying different techniques and using shadows and highlights.

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‘The green stripe’

By Henri Matisse

1905

Period: Fauvism

The Green Stripe, also known as Portrait of Madame Matisse. Is a portrait of Henri’s wife made with oil paint on canvas and was completed in autumn or winter of 1905.

I like the bold vibrant colours used in this painting and how they have been applied for example The green stripe down the center of the face in the painting creates a bold shadow line and divides the face with a light and a dark side, and creates a cool and warm side. The division in the colours also creates leading lines throughout the painting and gives the painting a structured look. Henri also creates texture in the painting with the thick bold brushstrokes he uses particularly in the right side of the face and the hair which adds nice highlights to the painting.

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Pablo Picasso - post impressionism

Fernande with Black Mantilla

1905

Medium : oil on canvas

I like Pablo’s different use of brushstrokes in the painting you can see that he’s used a watered down paint and used fast brushstrokes for the background that bleeds into different tones, but he used much finer brushstrokes for the face creating a soft subtle look. I also like the use of colour and tone, the different shades in the painting create leading lines which direct you to the focal point which is the face, the colour also plays into the expression of sadness on the women’s face in the painting, and creates a beautiful composition.