HUM 200 4-4 Rough Draft
This essay examines the origins of two painful self-portraits by different artists. Self-Portrait
with Thorn Necklace and Hummingbird, an oil painting from 1940, is one of the cultural items
I'll be talking about. This painting was created by a lady called Frida Kahlo in Mexico City. Soon
after her marriage to Diego Rivera ended, she created this picture. Because of the thorns that
pierce her neck and the cat and monkey perched on her shoulders, the picture gives the
impression that she is injured. If you look closely, you can see that she is wearing a dead
hummingbird as a necklace in the portrait. Because she believed she understood herself better
than anybody else, Kahlo created this self-portrait. She believed she was aware of her best
qualities. At the moment, this artwork is on display at the Harry Ransom Center at the University
of Texas at Austin.
The second cultural item I'll discuss is Self-Portrait, an oil painting that was also produced in
1790. A lady from Paris, France by the name of Elisabeth Vigee Le Brun is the creator of this
picture. While the Royal Family was being held in custody, Le Brun created this painting. She
regularly painted for the members of this family. In the oil painting, Elisabeth is shown painting
the Queen while posing as herself. In Florence, Italy, a gallery has this painting on exhibit. Not
only has the picture been shown there, but also in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York,
the Galleries Nationals in Washington, D.C., and the Grand Palais in Paris (where it was
originally shown).
