Contrast Essay: Political Art By Pompadour And Kahlo
Political Art by Pompadour and Kahlo
By: Elliot Ansari
12/5/16
Compare and Contrast Essay
Art History
Professor Sarah Hollenberg
Frida Khalo once said “I paint my own reality. The only thing I know is that I paint because I need to, and I paint whatever passes through my head without any other consideration.” Unlike Khalo, Madame de Pompadour who was not an artist followed another vision in her head. A vision to make France the social, artistic, and political center-piece of the world. In a time dominated by powerful male figures these women stood out in. In Pompadour’s case she became the chief mistress to King Louis XV. In Kahlo's case the Mexican Revolution inspired her to “repaint” the way Mexico was to be looked at from the …show more content…
Unlike Pompadour, Kahlo was an artist who made very powerful self portraits about political, social, and emotional issues. Born in 1907 to a German immigrant and his Mexican wife, Kahlo developed polio when she was 6. However, this was not the last of her health problems. She was thrown out of a moving bus in her 20’s which severely injured her and dealt with other health problems throughout her entire life. These extensive health problems may explain why she passed away at such a young age of 47. In 1922 Kahlo was one of the few female students to attend The National Preparatory School in Mexico City. It was there that she was inspired by her teachers to help change the course of Mexico. This was during the time of the Mexican Revolution and many artists were inspired to reshape how Mexico was portrayed from outsiders and to it’s people. At preparatory school she met Diego Rivera who was one of the most influential Mexican artists of all time. They eventually married but later divorced and remained on and off for the rest of their lives, partly because of Rivera's affairs with other women. While Khalo was injured in 1925 she became a communist and painted her first self portrait. It is apparent that she was a member of “The Young Communist League” and “The Mexican Communist Party”. Khalo was also an avid supporter of socialism and was also a member of a group called the Cachacas. In 1940 Kahlo painted “Tehuna Self Portrait”. It is a self-portrait of Kahlo with her ex-husband Diego Rivera on her forehead. On the outside it is meant to symbolize how Kahlo is still thinking of Diego, how she wants to posses him but can’t, that Kahlo still loves him even though he keeps having affairs. The lines going across the canvas may signify a spider web of her thoughts about him that Kahlo cannot get rid of. Unlike Pompadour’s self portrait, Kahlo is not as sexualized with
By: Elliot Ansari
12/5/16
Compare and Contrast Essay
Art History
Professor Sarah Hollenberg
Frida Khalo once said “I paint my own reality. The only thing I know is that I paint because I need to, and I paint whatever passes through my head without any other consideration.” Unlike Khalo, Madame de Pompadour who was not an artist followed another vision in her head. A vision to make France the social, artistic, and political center-piece of the world. In a time dominated by powerful male figures these women stood out in. In Pompadour’s case she became the chief mistress to King Louis XV. In Kahlo's case the Mexican Revolution inspired her to “repaint” the way Mexico was to be looked at from the …show more content…
Unlike Pompadour, Kahlo was an artist who made very powerful self portraits about political, social, and emotional issues. Born in 1907 to a German immigrant and his Mexican wife, Kahlo developed polio when she was 6. However, this was not the last of her health problems. She was thrown out of a moving bus in her 20’s which severely injured her and dealt with other health problems throughout her entire life. These extensive health problems may explain why she passed away at such a young age of 47. In 1922 Kahlo was one of the few female students to attend The National Preparatory School in Mexico City. It was there that she was inspired by her teachers to help change the course of Mexico. This was during the time of the Mexican Revolution and many artists were inspired to reshape how Mexico was portrayed from outsiders and to it’s people. At preparatory school she met Diego Rivera who was one of the most influential Mexican artists of all time. They eventually married but later divorced and remained on and off for the rest of their lives, partly because of Rivera's affairs with other women. While Khalo was injured in 1925 she became a communist and painted her first self portrait. It is apparent that she was a member of “The Young Communist League” and “The Mexican Communist Party”. Khalo was also an avid supporter of socialism and was also a member of a group called the Cachacas. In 1940 Kahlo painted “Tehuna Self Portrait”. It is a self-portrait of Kahlo with her ex-husband Diego Rivera on her forehead. On the outside it is meant to symbolize how Kahlo is still thinking of Diego, how she wants to posses him but can’t, that Kahlo still loves him even though he keeps having affairs. The lines going across the canvas may signify a spider web of her thoughts about him that Kahlo cannot get rid of. Unlike Pompadour’s self portrait, Kahlo is not as sexualized with