Analysis of “The Broken Column” by Frida Kahlo

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Fine art has always been a very good example of how the same image can be interpreted differently. Although a painting never changes, its perception differs not only between people, but also over time as one becomes more experienced and studies art more deeply. This applies not only to paintings, but also to film art, or music. However, this is not the case with the visual arts. Nowadays artists are trying to impress connoisseurs by inventing new genres and finding fresh approaches to show modernity in a different light. Not surprisingly, since the world is on the threshold of new technologies, and art is taking a back seat to the development of photography. However, despite the rather significant decrease in the number of interesting drawings, however, the same images of modernity can be shown in a way that the camera does not, which was clearly demonstrated by Frida Kahlo with her painting “The Broken Column”.

First of all, the outline of a woman standing in the nude catches the eye. Obviously, there is more to this image than just the image of the girl, as you can see that she is a column that runs all over her body. The image of the column has always been considered something indestructible, something that will stand at all times and will be able to defend its strength and show steadfastness (Kahlo et al., 2018). The same is present in the painting of Frida, a girl who has remained unbroken and has defended her rights. In order to be clearer why this image is used by the artist it is necessary to look at the time period in which the picture was painted, namely 1944, when the world was plagued by war. Women at that time could not be as they are seen now, as the first half of the 20th century is characterized by the dominance of men (Bal et al., 2017). Frida Kahlo took the courage to show the female image as indestructible and resilient, as a woman should be at all times.

The lines that the artist uses in her creation have a clear structure. In contrast to postmodernism, where they are emphasized, this painting is painted in the genre of self-portrait. In addition to the aforementioned symbolism of a strong woman, Kahlo used her personal experience and image for the painting, as the basis is taken from the artist’s real life, when she had an accident and injured her spine (Oropesa et al., 2017). To this end, the painting uses the image of a steel corset, which also holds the woman down and prevents her from moving properly. Frida mainly uses horizontal and vertical lines, they are drawn with a sharp movement and emphasize the sharpness of the image. In the background the margins can be seen, which are applied with more diagonal paint strokes. In addition, one can notice how intently the woman in the painting looks at the viewer (Oropesa et al., 2017). This creates an invisible connection between whoever is looking at the image and the image. The woman’s gaze is tired and a little sad, angry. It is not surprising, because these are the emotions that the author experienced in an accident and skillfully transferred it to the picture, adding life to the car portrait.

Speaking of the light that Kahlo used in her work, it should be noted that the source is natural. The painting is painted in such a way that the person in it is standing in an open area, which makes it possible to use daylight in the surroundings. The shadows in the painting are virtually absent, only from the steel corset around the girl’s body. They are created naturally, without reversing the color or altering the perception (O’Neill, 2021). The object in the picture is three-dimensional, practically does not interact with the light, is only under a direct source in the form of the sun. However, the shadows set the depth, even though they are almost absent in the picture. They help to understand more clearly the three-dimensionality of the image and, as a consequence, to make a clearer analysis of the artist’s work.

Among the colors, yellow, flesh and white predominate, with slightly less brown and blue. The use of such a range is due to the genre, as a person must be portrayed with natural color when it comes to self-portraits. This is done so that whoever looks at the painting can more strongly imbue the spirit of the artist and understand her intentions. There are almost no dark colors in the painting, which shows that Kahlo did not try to make her creation with the emphasis that it was a terrible period for her. On the contrary, she was trying to emphasize that she did not give up and did not give up. For her, life was still full of colors, even in spite of the terrible things that happened to her when she was 18. On the other hand, that yellow color used in the painting cannot be called very bright. It is the slightly gray tones in the image that distort its perception and make the image a little darker than if the color had originally been what it is.

Of the complementary colors, the one that catches your eye the most is white, which is just as important in the composition of the work. It symbolizes purity in the usual sense, but in Kahlo’s painting it is more unbroken and restricted in everything (O’Neill, 2021). Otherwise, one can say that the other colors, although harmonious in relation to each other, but not combined in terms of common features. An interesting feature is the use of warm colors but with a different gamut. As previously mentioned, Kahlo used darkening, which makes the colors cooler, even if they belong to the warm palette. This color palette is mainly to the advantage of the painting, as it conveys the spirit of what she felt when she painted it, a certain ambiguity and the need to share her experience in order to support others in difficult moments of life.

The surface texture is rough, but this only applies to the background, as the viewer subconsciously projects sand, which is behind the heroine. In the foreground there is a girl with delicate skin, light clothing and a column in her chest. Such a combination is asociated only with the smooth texture, which gives the image sophistication and charm (O’Neill, 2021). It is through texture and the right mix of colors that the overall impression of the painting is created and the images are easily captured through commonalities with their real-life counterparts.

The shapes the artist depicts are voluminous. They all have their textures and coloring, as well as their shadows. This creates an image of hugeness and allows you to more strongly penetrate the picture in terms of emotions. In addition, you should not forget as the fact that there is a pole in the picture inside the girl. It is also made voluminous, despite its diminutiveness. Not unimportant is also the fact of combining the volume in terms of geometry and the naturalness of the person. Straight lines are seen only in the environment, while the person in the picture has a clear texture and volume through the knowledge of physiology and anatomy (Oropesa et al., 2017). The figures in the painting are beautiful and slightly grotesque. This is primarily due to the emotions on the girl’s face, which show all the pain, and also the tears on her cheeks, which are not volume, but they can be believed and feel the same emotions as the artist.

The space in the picture is open, the girl is not framed, but rather on the contrary, she is free. But this freedom is limited by her personal problems, in the form of a corset. On the other hand, it seems as if there is too much freedom and it completely covers the entire background. There is nothing to be seen in it, which could in any way drive the character of the painting into a frame. All the space is filled with sand and clear sky, which suggests that the author wanted to find the same freedom of action in life, but could not.

The size of the painting is small, 40×30 centimeters. This can also be a kind of symbolism, as Frida Kahlo saw her person as a small screw in the overall system. She tried not to stand out from the masses, even despite her health problems. Therefore, the size of the image is also small, exactly as the artist sees herself. The objects in the painting are mostly proportional, except for the column inside the woman, which is reduced in comparison to its counterparts from real life.

Speaking about the balance in the picture it is worth noting that all the objects interact harmoniously with each other. Even though the woman in the foreground occupies most of the space, she does not feel dominant in the image. The balance is symmetrical both horizontally and vertically. Also interesting is the use of shadows and images in the painting. As mentioned earlier, Kahlo does not often use shadow in his work, but it blends very harmoniously with the objects in the painting and with the lighting.

Regarding the rhythm, it is difficult to keep track of here, as the image used in the picture is single and cannot be repeated. However, if you look closely at the column, you can see that the patterns on it are repeated as they would be in real life. Starting from the base available to the viewer and getting to the top, you can see that the ornamentation remains the same and does not stand out strongly against the general background of the picture. The rhythm in this case has no value, as it is only needed to show similarity with real life and to emphasize the fact that, in fact, its use establishes a connection with the viewer’s world and allows them to better enter into the spirit of Kahlo.

Obviously, the emphasis on which the eye shifts in this work is the image of the artist herself in the foreground. She stands out, as the author’s intention is that this should be what the viewer looks at first. If you look more closely, you can see the column, which is located inside the girl and fits harmoniously into the entourage, which also makes you think about what it might mean.

In the end, it’s worth saying that Frida Kahlo’s work is innovative in its own way. She added many prominent details that made the self-portrait unlike the others. She was able to express herself and convey to the viewer a wide range of emotions. It’s a painting that needs to be seen in its own special way, as well as the entire life of the artist.

References

Bal, M., Kahlo, F., & For, M. (2017). Frida Kahlo. Hatje Cantz.

Kahlo, F., Prignitz-Poda, H., & Quirinale, A. (2018). Frida Kahlo. Mondadori Electa.

O’Neill, D. (2021). The Broken Column.BMJ, 342(may04 3), d2419–d2419.

Oropesa, S. A., Kahlo, F., Lowe, S. M., Toledo, B. C. de, Pohlenz, R., Kahlo, F., Zamora, M., & Casanova, J. G. (2017). The Diary of Frida Kahlo. An Intimate Self-Portrait.Chasqui, 25(1), 120.

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Analysis of “The Broken Column” by Frida Kahlo

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