It is an oil on canvas with dimensions 72 x 51 cm (28 x 20 inches). In this article, we will discuss the theme of the artwork, the medium used, and its current location?
The Theme of the Artwork
The painting depicts a young girl with a scarf wrapped around her head. She is wearing a blue dress that brings out the blue in her eyes, and the book she is reading, The Little Prince, references several of the paintings Kahlo created throughout her life.
Kahlo's own words about this portrait: "I painted Mariana (who is also my goddaughter) because I love her... She is wearing a dress that my father bought in Sweden and that I wore when I studied medicine. I always keep this book near me and look at it sometimes. It's about how to understand adults, which could be very useful." The painting consists of multiple subject matters, including life lessons, the symbolism behind clothing, and an autobiography, all in a single work.
Medium Used
Frida Kahlo's Portrait of Mariana Morillo Safa was created with oils on canvas. The background of the portrait is painted black, which makes the child's blue dress stand out even more. Kahlo paints herself into this picture. She is the one on the left-hand side of the painting. She is wearing brown clothes with her hair pulled back into a bun. Her head is tilted to the side as she reads the book, The Little Prince. Kahlo uses blue paint on the girl's eyes and red around them, representing her anger towards people who lie in order to gain something.
The Painting's Location
Frida Kahlo's Portrait of Mariana Morillo Safa is currently located at The Art Institute of Chicago. It had previously been kept in the Anahuacalli Museum until it was sold to The Art Institute for $1 million dollars. It can be viewed by the public Monday through Friday 10 am-5 pm, Saturday 10 am-8 pm, Sundays 11 am-5 pm. It is part of the permanent collection given to them by Mr. and Mrs. Harry Lynde Bradley in 1982, which has been a point of controversy as this was done without the consent of Morillo Safa's family members or the artist's estate. The painting can be viewed from floor three and above in Gallery 247.
