The Suicide Of Dorothy Hale (2) Frida Kahlo (1907-1954)

In the painting The Suicide of Dorothy Hale (2), Frida Kahlo depicts a horrific event with a stark and unsettling composition. The foreground features the lifeless body of Dorothy Hale, sprawled on a brown surface, her body marred by bloodstains. She wears a dark dress and adorns her chest with a cluster of white flowers, which appear incongruous against the grim scene. Her face is turned upwards, her eyes wide open, conveying a sense of shock or finality.
Behind Hale, a towering skyscraper pierces a cloudy sky. The building is depicted in a golden hue, contrasting with the more muted tones of the clouds and sky. Amidst the clouds surrounding the skyscraper, two figures in mid-fall are visible. One figure, closer to the ground, appears to be Hale herself in the act of falling. Another, higher up, is a silhouette against the building. The clouds themselves seem to dissolve and swirl around the figures and the building, adding to the sense of chaos and despair. A red ribbon, resembling a lifeline or a vein, snakes down from the falling figures and connects to the bloodied area around Dorothy Hales body, linking the act of falling to her ultimate demise.
The painting is framed by what appears to be a gilded, ornate frame, suggesting it is a portrait or a memorial piece. Below the scene, Kahlo has included a handwritten inscription in Spanish (identified by the OCR as La ciudad de Nueva York el dia 21 del mes de Octubre de 1931, a las seis de la mañana, se suicidó la Sra. Dorothy Hale, tirándose desde una ventana muy alta del edificio Hampshire House. En su recuerdo, Frida Kahlo.), which translates to: The city of New York on October 21, 1931, at six in the morning, Mrs. Dorothy Hale committed suicide by throwing herself from a very high window of the Hampshire House building. In her memory, Frida Kahlo. This inscription explicitly states the subject and the artists intent, framing the painting as a memorial.
The subtext of the painting is deeply layered. It speaks to the artists profound grief and horror at the suicide of her friend, Dorothy Hale, who was an American actress and socialite. Kahlo was commissioned by Hales mother to paint a portrait of her daughter, a commission she initially refused. However, after Hales death, Kahlo felt compelled to create this painting, transforming the request for a portrait into a memorial of her friends tragic end.
The painting can be interpreted as Kahlos attempt to come to terms with loss, mortality, and the fragility of life. The falling figures symbolize the devastating impact of death, while the blood represents the violence and finality of suicide. The grand skyscraper, a symbol of modernity and aspiration, becomes a site of tragedy, highlighting the darkness that can exist even in the most dazzling urban landscapes. The flowers, often symbols of beauty and life, here appear mournful and out of place, emphasizing the stark contrast between life and death. The inclusion of the red ribbon acting as a connector can be seen as Kahlo’s attempt to make sense of the event, to visually trace the connection between the act of falling and the resulting death, perhaps as a way to process her friends fate. The painting is a powerful testament to Kahlos emotional intensity and her ability to translate personal anguish into striking and evocative art.