Two Nudes in a Forest
Two Nudes in a Forest is an oil painting by Mexican painter Frida Kahlo that was completed in 1939. It is also referred to as The Earth, Two Nudes in the Wood, or My Nanny and I.[1] The painting was given to a close woman companion of Kahlo's,[2] who some believe to be actress Dolores del Río. The two women in the painting also appear in Kahlo's painting What the Water Gave Me, completed a year earlier in 1938, and her spider monkey, which views the couple from the forest, also appears in Kahlo's 1937 Fulang-Chang and I.
Two Nudes in a Forest | |
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Dos desnudos en un bosque | |
Artist | Frida Kahlo |
Year | 1939 |
Type | Oil on metal |
Dimensions | 25 cm × 30.5 cm (9.8 in × 12.0 in) |
Owner | Jon and Mary Shirley |
In May 2016 the painting was sold for $8 million at the Christie's auction in New York.[3]
Interpretations
The two naked women in the painting, one dark-skinned and one light-skinned, are viewed as representations of Kahlo's ethnic identity as connected to her indigenous roots, but also her European ancestry,[2] something that is also explored in The Two Fridas.The painting also brings attention to Kahlo's bisexuality, something she expressed openly in her paintings, as in Self-Portrait with Cropped Hair, and in her sexual affairs.[4]
References
- Souter, Gerry (2011). Kahlo. New York: Parkstone International. ISBN 9781780420875. OCLC 758334725.
- Herrera, Hayden (1991). Frida Kahlo: The Paintings. New York, NY: HarperCollins. ISBN 0060166991. OCLC 23141304.
- "Frida Kahlo painting fetches record $8 million at NYC auction". Fox News. 2016-12-01. Retrieved 2021-02-08.
- Lindauer, Margaret A. (2011). Devouring Frida: the Art History and Popular Celebrity of Frida Kahlo. Wesleyan University Press. ISBN 9780819563477. OCLC 767498280.