the suicide of dorothy hale frida kahlo

the suicide of dorothy hale frida kahloThis work was commissioned from Frida Kahlo in 1938 by Clare Boothe Luce, a friend of the actress Dorothy Hale, who had committed suicide by throwing herself from a New York skyscraper. Clare wanted a commemorative painting, but Frida chose to depict the suicide scene head on, with a precise and raw narrative. On receiving the painting, the commissioner was shocked by the explicit depiction of the tragedy. Although originally rejected, the work is now

each leaf seems to conceal an enigma

This impressionist painting depicts a sunny scene in Bordighera

The overall effect captures the daily hustle and bustle of modern Paris

The bodies are sketched with light lines

one facing the viewer

and the absence of human activity gives an impression of calm

These colours are often found in the artist's paintings

an intimate and delicate genre scene

It is a wash house

giving rise to this violent and poignant work

The intense hues and flowing lines infuse a spiritual and introspective dimension

fit together harmoniously and give the impression of moving on the canvas