This artwork depicts two sides of Frida, one post-surgery and another dressed in traditional Tehuana clothing. The post-surgery Frida is lying on what is possibly a hospital bed, with her back to the onlooker. Her back has two bloody wounds. Sitting beside the post-surgery Frida is Frida dressed in traditional Tehuana clothing holding a flag, and back brace. The flag that Frida is holding has the words, “Arbol de la esperanza mantente firme”, that translates to “Tree of Hope, Keep Firm”. This inscription is the namesake of the painting. Once again, the theme of pain is present in Frida’s work. This time, however the pain is from the after effects of the accident that she suffered as a young adult. In this piece, the traditionally dressed Frida is representing hope for the injured Frida (Kahlo, Tate, p. 52). Frida’s clothing in this piece is that of traditional Tehuana, which identifies her with her Mexican heritage and political views. Frida wore Tehuanan clothes in representation of her identity (Kahlo, Bulfinch, p. 96). While she is in traditional wear, the color of the Tehuana clothing is obvious representing the communist movements and ideologies Frida followed. In this piece, Frida is identifying her political views as representation for hope. Not only for her, but also for the country of Mexico as a whole (Kahlo, Tate, p.
This artwork depicts two sides of Frida, one post-surgery and another dressed in traditional Tehuana clothing. The post-surgery Frida is lying on what is possibly a hospital bed, with her back to the onlooker. Her back has two bloody wounds. Sitting beside the post-surgery Frida is Frida dressed in traditional Tehuana clothing holding a flag, and back brace. The flag that Frida is holding has the words, “Arbol de la esperanza mantente firme”, that translates to “Tree of Hope, Keep Firm”. This inscription is the namesake of the painting. Once again, the theme of pain is present in Frida’s work. This time, however the pain is from the after effects of the accident that she suffered as a young adult. In this piece, the traditionally dressed Frida is representing hope for the injured Frida (Kahlo, Tate, p. 52). Frida’s clothing in this piece is that of traditional Tehuana, which identifies her with her Mexican heritage and political views. Frida wore Tehuanan clothes in representation of her identity (Kahlo, Bulfinch, p. 96). While she is in traditional wear, the color of the Tehuana clothing is obvious representing the communist movements and ideologies Frida followed. In this piece, Frida is identifying her political views as representation for hope. Not only for her, but also for the country of Mexico as a whole (Kahlo, Tate, p.