This painting is a late work of the Mexican female writer Frida Kahlo, which is different from the self-portrait style that she is usually good at. In this painting she chose a still life theme, with cut fruits in the center, including watermelon, which symbolizes death in Mexican culture. Around the fruit, Frida also painted doves, which symbolize peace, and the sun and moon, which represent time.
Towards the end of her life, Frida was bedridden for most of her life, so she painted fruit cut up on the bedside table. In Mexico’s traditional festival, Day of the Dead, watermelon is the most common element in the festival, symbolizing death.
Therefore, in this work, Frida conveys a strong meaning of praying for relief through watermelon, and she longs to be freed from the shackles of illness.