Tessa Quinn
Frida Kahlo's 1932 painting Henry Ford Hospital is a self-portrait that depicts the physical pain and emotional damage she experienced after a miscarriage. Kahlo suffered from ill health throughout her life, including polio as a child, which caused her constant pain. In the painting, Kahlo portrays herself naked and bleeding on a hospital bed, with six filaments extending from her swollen belly, resembling umbilical cords connected to symbolic objects. The artwork is a powerful expression of Kahlo's suffering and grief, marking a significant moment in her career as she boldly confronted her personal traumas through her art.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Reason | To express her pain and emotional damage after her second miscarriage |
| Medium | Oil on metal |
| Size | 38 x 31 cm |
| Location | Dolores Olmedo Museum, Mexico |
| Self-portrait | Yes |
| Surrealist | Yes |
| Symbolism | Six objects connected by vein-like ribbons, including a fetus, represent her emotions and experience |
| Miscarriage | Yes |
| Abortion | Yes |
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What You'll Learn
Frida Kahlo's miscarriage and abortion
Frida Kahlo, one of the most celebrated artists from Mexico City, painted Henry Ford Hospital The Flying Bed to portray her suffering after a miscarriage and abortion. The painting, completed in 1932, is a surrealist self-portrait that depicts Kahlo lying naked on a hospital bed, bleeding and surrounded by symbolic objects representing her emotions.
Kahlo had a history of health issues and prior pregnancies, including at least one terminated pregnancy due to health concerns. In 1932, she became pregnant again and sought medical advice from Dr. Pratt at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit. Despite expressing doubts about her ability to carry a healthy pregnancy to term, Kahlo initially decided against an abortion, hoping for a successful delivery. However, her condition deteriorated, and she eventually suffered a miscarriage on July 4, 1932. She was admitted to Henry Ford Hospital, where an abortion was performed to complete the process.
Deeply distressed by the loss of her pregnancy, Kahlo requested to see the fetus so that she could paint it. When her request was denied, she resorted to using medical illustrations provided by her husband, Diego Rivera, and her doctors to create her artwork. In the painting, Kahlo portrays herself as a saintly figure, questioning the source of her suffering. The six objects suspended by vein-like ribbons from her body include a fetus, a snail, a pelvic bone, an orchid, a machine, and an orthopedic cast. These objects symbolize her emotions and experiences during this traumatic event.
The painting Henry Ford Hospital marks a significant turning point in Kahlo's artistic career. It is the first of her bloody and emotionally charged self-portraits, and it is also the first time she used a metal sheet as a support in the Mexican ex-voto tradition. Kahlo's decision to paint about herself and her personal pain set her on the path to becoming a renowned artist, known for her vulnerable and expressive self-portraits.
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The symbolism of the six objects
Frida Kahlo's Henry Ford Hospital (The Flying Bed) is a surrealist self-portrait painted on a metal sheet in the Mexican ex-voto tradition. The painting depicts Kahlo lying naked on a hospital bed, with six vein-like ribbons flowing outwards from her exposed naked body, attached to six symbolic objects. These objects evoke the umbilical cord, connecting Kahlo to her emotions and experiences during her miscarriage and abortion. Here is an interpretation of the symbolism of each of the six objects:
- Male Foetus/Fetus: The foetus represents the loss of Kahlo's unborn child. It is placed at the centre of the painting, reflecting the emotional weight of her miscarriage. Kahlo requested to see the foetus after her abortion but was denied and instead used medical illustrations to create this painting.
- Snail: The snail is a reference to the slow passage of time during Kahlo's miscarriage and the lengthy process of healing and recovery.
- Orchid/Flower: The orchid is a symbol of sexual attraction and love between Kahlo and her husband, Diego Rivera. It represents the physical object he gave to her during her hospital stay.
- Machine: The strange piece of machinery in the lower left corner represents the cold, impersonal hospital machines used on Kahlo during her medical treatments.
- Orthopaedic Cast/Pelvis Bone: The pelvis bone or orthopaedic cast may symbolise the physical and emotional pain Kahlo endured, as well as the support she needed during her recovery.
- Salmon Pink Torso/Pedestal: The salmon-coloured torso on a pedestal could represent the idealised female body or a classical statue, perhaps commenting on societal expectations of women and motherhood.
Through these symbolic objects, Kahlo expresses her emotions, pain, and experiences surrounding her miscarriage and abortion. The painting serves as an act of defiance and a means to process her trauma.
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The duality of life and death
Frida Kahlo's painting, Henry Ford Hospital (The Flying Bed), encapsulates the duality of life and death. The artwork depicts Kahlo's experience of miscarriage and abortion, reflecting on the loss of life and the emotional trauma associated with it. This personal and vulnerable self-portrait reveals the raw and intimate aspects of her journey.
The painting showcases Kahlo lying naked on a hospital bed, surrounded by blood and tears, with her stomach still swollen from pregnancy. Six vein-like ribbons extend from her body, connecting her to symbolic objects that represent her emotions and experiences during this difficult time. One of these objects is a fetus, symbolizing the loss of life and serving as a central totem in her artwork.
The inclusion of the fetus in the painting underscores the duality of life and death. On the one hand, it represents the potential for life, the hope, and the expectation of a new beginning. On the other hand, its presence in the painting also signifies death, the loss of that potential, and the emotional pain that comes with it. Kahlo's request to have the fetus brought to her so that she could paint it underscores her desire to confront and process her grief.
The other objects suspended by the ribbons also contribute to the theme of duality. For example, the snail symbolizes the slow passage of time during her miscarriage, while the orchid represents the sexual attraction between Kahlo and her husband, Diego Rivera. The pelvic bone and the strange piece of machinery allude to the physical and medical aspects of her experience, reminding viewers of the bodily processes and interventions involved in life and death.
Through Henry Ford Hospital (The Flying Bed), Kahlo confronts the duality of life and death head-on. She does not shy away from portraying the raw emotions and physical realities of her experience. By doing so, Kahlo transforms her personal tragedy into a powerful statement about the fragile nature of life and the complex interplay between life and death.
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The influence of Diego Rivera
Frida Kahlo met Diego Rivera, a prominent Mexican artist, in 1922 when she was just 15 years old. He was already a well-known artist, having been a child prodigy and befriended famous artists like Picasso. Kahlo was inspired by Rivera's ideals about Mexican identity and his encouragement of her artistic talents. They married in 1929 and their relationship, though tumultuous, lasted until Kahlo's death in 1954.
Rivera's influence on Kahlo's art is evident in several ways. Firstly, he encouraged her to pursue art as a career. After seeing her early self-portraits, he told her, "You have talent... You must continue to paint." This support led Kahlo to dedicate herself fully to her art.
Secondly, Rivera's artistic style and techniques likely influenced Kahlo's work. For example, Rivera's use of the fresco technique, which Kahlo may have adopted for her own paintings, and his depiction of Mexican themes and motifs, such as pyramids and Mexican hairless dogs, which also appeared in Kahlo's artwork.
Additionally, their relationship and shared experiences influenced each other's artwork. They often depicted each other in their paintings, expressing their complex dynamic through their art. Kahlo's painting "A Few Small Nips" (1935), for instance, alludes to Rivera's affair with her sister with black humour. Rivera, too, painted a nude image of his mistress Helen Wills on the ceiling of the Luncheon Club in San Francisco.
The couple's shared passion for the rebirth of Mexico's identity after the Mexican Revolution also influenced their artwork. Both were active members of the Communist Party and often incorporated Communist motifs into their work. Their art became a means to challenge social norms and express their revolutionary ideas.
Lastly, Rivera's support and understanding of Kahlo's struggles, such as her bus accident and subsequent health issues, may have provided her with the emotional strength to confront these challenges through her art.
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The artistic style and format
Frida Kahlo's Henry Ford Hospital (The Flying Bed) is a surrealist self-portrait painted with oils on a metal sheet. The painting is emotionally charged and disturbing, depicting Kahlo naked on a hospital bed, bleeding from a miscarriage, with six vein-like ribbons flowing outwards from her exposed naked body. These ribbons have been interpreted as a metaphor for umbilical cords, connecting Kahlo to six symbolic objects: a male foetus, a snail, a pelvic bone, an orchid, a machine, and an orthopaedic cast. The painting also includes a horizon line in the background, with a view of the Ford Motor Company in the industrial city of Detroit, where her husband, Diego Rivera, was painting murals.
Kahlo's use of a metal sheet as a support for the painting is significant as it aligns with the Mexican ex-voto tradition, where small metal panels are typically used to depict incidents and the Virgin or saint to whom they are dedicated. However, in Henry Ford Hospital, Kahlo subverts this format by placing herself centre stage, portraying herself as a saintly figure and questioning the source of her suffering. This marks a departure from the traditional expression of gratitude or salvation associated with ex-voto paintings, instead conveying an act of defiance and pain.
The artistic style of Henry Ford Hospital reflects Kahlo's unique blend of realism and surrealism, with a focus on medically accurate and surrealist images of reproduction. The painting is characterised by its emotional intensity, raw vulnerability, and personal symbolism. Kahlo's naked body, exposed breasts, and pubic hair challenge societal norms and emphasise the intimate nature of the artwork. The inclusion of blood and tears further enhances the sense of pain and anguish that Kahlo experienced during her miscarriage and abortion.
The format of the painting is also noteworthy. With dimensions of 38 x 31 cm, Henry Ford Hospital is a relatively small and intimate work compared to some of Kahlo's other pieces. The use of oil paints on a metal sheet creates a unique texture and visual effect, adding to the overall impact of the artwork. The painting is currently owned by the Dolores Olmedo Museum in Mexico and stands as a testament to Kahlo's courage in confronting her personal struggles and transforming them into powerful works of art.
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Frequently asked questions
Frida Kahlo painted the Henry Ford Hospital to express her pain and suffering after a miscarriage.
The painting depicts Kahlo naked, lying on a hospital bed, surrounded by blood, with six objects connected by red filaments that resemble umbilical cords. These objects include a male foetus, a snail, a pelvic bone, an orchid, a machine, and an orthopaedic cast.
The six objects are symbolic of Kahlo's emotions and experiences during her miscarriage. For example, the orchid represents death, and the machine represents the cold hospital machines used on her.
The painting is considered surrealist and is characterised by its naïve style, ingenuity, simplicity, and expressive power. It is also noted for its use of medically accurate and surrealist images of reproduction.
The painting is currently exhibited at the Dolores Olmedo Museum in Xochimilco, Mexico.
