Girl with Death Mask (She Plays Alone) by Frida Kahlo (Interpretation and Analysis)

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Girl with Death Mask (She Plays Alone)
Source: fridakahlo.org
As we continue to celebrate the month of October, I want to introduce a rather unsettling piece of art produced by one of the world’s most famous artists: Frida Kahlo.

There is perhaps no better known female painter than Kahlo. Her face is familiar to nearly everyone in the Western world; it is featured on posters, t-shirts, and mugs and has been co-opted by fashion designers and even (strangely) used to sell cosmetic products. While she is most famous for these self-portraits, Kahlo’s work extends across a wide variety of subjects, which she handles with her characteristically nuanced and original approach to art.

However, Girl with Death Mask (She Plays Alone) is probably one of her most interesting and enigmatic paintings. The piece depicts a young girl wearing a mask that is reminiscent of the calaveras (skulls) commonly found in Day of the Dead celebrations. She holds a marigold in her hand, another common offering that is brought to graves during the Day of the Dead. According to my research, the tiger mask near her feet is also a totem that protects against evil. Overall, it is an eerie scene, mysterious and difficult to fathom. The contrast of the child’s youth and innocence with the symbols of death is jarring, and the desolate background behind the child is particularly unnerving. It’s clear that this strange little girl definitely plays alone.

Death is a common theme in Kahlo’s art. Her constant health issues and chronic pain meant that death was often on her mind; as one of Kahlo’s friends famously remarked, “Frida lived dying.” The piece has also been interpreted as a reaction to a miscarriage that Kahlo endured around the time the painting was completed. While some art historians have interpreted this piece as a self-portrait of Kahlo as a child—a precursor to the suffering she endured as an adult—I think it’s not necessary to see it as totally autobiographical.

The piece can be seen as a universal scene, a modern take on the memento mori theme, a traditional genre of painting that is designed to remind the viewer that they are mortal. The Mexican iconography that denotes death adds additional visual drama and dynamism to the piece.

Plus, a death mask is pretty spooky, no?

Disclaimer: I’m not an art historian or an expert on this topic. The above is my opinion, based on my interpretation of my foreknowledge of art and history. If I’ve done any additional research, I’ll note it above.

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