The artwork, titled “Portrait of Virginia (Little Girl),” is a creation by the renowned artist Frida Kahlo, completed in 1929. It is an oil painting on masonite, measuring 84 x 68 cm, and exemplifies the genre of portraiture within the Naïve Art (Primitivism) movement. This piece is preserved in the Dolores Olmedo Collection located in Mexico City, Mexico.
The artwork depicts a young girl seated against a background with a gradient of warm tones that transition from a rich, rusty red at the top to a soft, yellow-orange hue at the bottom. The subject, Virginia, is portrayed with a neutral expression, her eyes directly engaging the viewer, conveying an intense but solemn gaze. Her dark hair is parted in the middle and pulled back neatly, accentuating the youthful contours of her face.
She is adorned in a traditional green dress with a pattern of red polka dots and intricate, white lace details on the sleeves, which impart a sense of cultural identity and local fashion. The sleeves are intricately adorned with white lace, adding a delicate texture against the simplicity of the dress. Her hands are gently clasped together in her lap, suggesting a demeanor of calmness and perhaps a touch of formality.
Overall, the portrait radiates a sense of serenity and poise, characteristic of Kahlo’s unique and powerful approach to portraiture that brings forth the inner life of her subjects through forthright representation and rich, emblematic colors.
