--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I paint self-portraits because I am so…" description: "\"I paint self-portraits because I am so often alone, because I am the person I know best.\" — Frida Kahlo" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c4/frida-kahlo-7157_art_i-paint-self-portraits-because-i-am-so-o_755512.jpg" --- # I paint self-portraits because I am so often alone… ![“I paint self-portraits because I am so often alone, because I am the person I know best.” quote by Frida Kahlo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c4/frida-kahlo-7157_art_i-paint-self-portraits-because-i-am-so-o_755512.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c4/frida-kahlo-7157_art_i-paint-self-portraits-because-i-am-so-o_755512.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c4/frida-kahlo-7157_art_i-paint-self-portraits-because-i-am-so-o_755512.jpg) > “I paint self-portraits because I am so often alone, because I am the person I know best.” [Frida Kahlo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frida-kahlo/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Self-portraiture reflects solitude and self-knowledge, using art to explore identity. **In simple terms:** Painting self-portraits helps understand oneself. Key Takeaway Use art to explore self. Themes art identity solitude Mood introspective creative Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - therapy - journaling - creative projects - personal branding Key Concepts psychology self-expression visual arts Questions to Reflect On - What does solitude teach you? - How can art reveal hidden parts of you? A Different Perspective Self-portrait may become self-obsession. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Happy friday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happy-friday/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Paint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paint/) [Paint Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paint-self-1165762/) [Painting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/painting/) [Persons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persons/) [Portraits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/portraits/) [Portraits Person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/portraits-person-5868249/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Self portrait](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-portrait/) [Self Portraits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-portraits-288191/) ## Related quotes > [“I often paint self-portraits for it is I that know myself best-Freida Kahlo.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-often-paint-self-portraits-for-it-is-i-that-know-myself-best-freida/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Self-deceit is a most damaging trait. The remedy, for an artist, is to paint a self-portrait!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-kahn/self-deceit-is-a-most-damaging-trait-the-remedy-for-an-artist-is-to/) [Scott Kahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-kahn/) > [Seeing that I am so busily occupied with myself just now, I want to try to paint my self-portrait in writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/seeing-that-i-am-so-busily-occupied-with-myself-just-now-i-want-to/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [The reason that I'm an actor, or an artist, is ultimately because I'm trying to paint a self-portrait, and the most complete and beautiful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terrence-howard/the-reason-that-i-m-an-actor-or-an-artist-is-ultimately-because-i-m/) [Terrence Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terrence-howard/) > [Painting self-portraits without clothes on has also given me some publicity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cleo-moore/painting-self-portraits-without-clothes-on-has-also-given-me-some/) [Cleo Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cleo-moore/) > [I think self-portraits are very difficult. I’ve always seen mine as straightforward, very stripped down, hair pulled back. No shirt. Whatever light happened to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-leibovitz/i-think-self-portraits-are-very-difficult-i-ve-always-seen-mine-as/) [Annie Leibovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-leibovitz/) > [My early self-portraits appeared effortlessly and seemed like equivalents for my deeper emotions. Many critics remarked that the images had an almost other-worldly haunting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-tenneson/my-early-self-portraits-appeared-effortlessly-and-seemed-like/) [Joyce Tenneson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-tenneson/) > [I think that deprecation part is a very important aspect because when someone looks into themselves, if they're going to be honest, they're going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-w-k/i-think-that-deprecation-part-is-a-very-important-aspect-because-when/) [Andrew W.K](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-w-k/) > [I do not care about my own appearance, but I would hope that people could see into my soul, and that is presented better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/august-strindberg/i-do-not-care-about-my-own-appearance-but-i-would-hope-that-people/) [August Strindberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/august-strindberg/) > [I felt that the beach portraits were all self-portraits. That moment of unease, that attempt to find a pose, it was all about me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rineke-dijkstra/i-felt-that-the-beach-portraits-were-all-self-portraits-that-moment/) [Rineke Dijkstra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rineke-dijkstra/) > [There are ways of angling the camera. I don't just use a tripod. The only time I did that was in '88 when I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nan-goldin/there-are-ways-of-angling-the-camera-i-don-t-just-use-a-tripod-the/) [Nan Goldin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nan-goldin/) > [When I look in the mirror, I am slightly reminded of self-portraits by Durer and by Rembrandt, because they both show a degree of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-winston/when-i-look-in-the-mirror-i-am-slightly-reminded-of-self-portraits-by/) [Robert Winston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-winston/) > [I always take a close look at those who lose themselves in self portraits. They are solitary souls, prone to introspection, who have really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/young-ha-kim/i-always-take-a-close-look-at-those-who-lose-themselves-in-self/) [Young-Ha Kim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/young-ha-kim/) > [Self-portraits have been done in painting, but never in music or literature. It has no meaning, it makes no sense. And in movies I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-luc-godard/self-portraits-have-been-done-in-painting-but-never-in-music-or/) [Jean-Luc Godard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-luc-godard/) > [Everyone thinks these are self-portraits but they aren't meant to be. I just use myself as a model because I know I can push…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-sherman/everyone-thinks-these-are-self-portraits-but-they-aren-t-meant-to-be/) [Cindy Sherman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindy-sherman/) ## More by Frida Kahlo > [Nothing is absolute. Everything changes, everything moves, everything revolves, everything flies and goes away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frida-kahlo/nothing-is-absolute-everything-changes-everything-moves-everything/) [Frida Kahlo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frida-kahlo/) > [“Que todo termina en un instante Planatera doloroso”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frida-kahlo/que-todo-termina-en-un-instante-planatera-doloroso/) [Frida Kahlo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frida-kahlo/) > [Tragedy is the most ridiculous thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frida-kahlo/tragedy-is-the-most-ridiculous-thing/) [Frida Kahlo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frida-kahlo/) > [Surrealism is the magical surprise of finding a lion in a wardrobe, where you were 'sure' of finding shirts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frida-kahlo/surrealism-is-the-magical-surprise-of-finding-a-lion-in-a-wardrobe/) [Frida Kahlo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frida-kahlo/) > [To trap one's self-suffering is to risk being devoured from the inside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frida-kahlo/to-trap-one-s-self-suffering-is-to-risk-being-devoured-from-the-inside/) [Frida Kahlo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frida-kahlo/) > [I love you more than my own skin and even though you don’t love me the same way, you love me anyways, don’t you?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frida-kahlo/i-love-you-more-than-my-own-skin-and-even-though-you-don-t-love-me/) [Frida Kahlo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frida-kahlo/) > [Nothing is worth more than laughter. It is strength to laugh and to abandon oneself, to be light. Tragedy is the most ridiculous thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frida-kahlo/nothing-is-worth-more-than-laughter-it-is-strength-to-laugh-and-to/) [Frida Kahlo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frida-kahlo/) > [People in general are scared to death of the war and all the exhibition have been a failure, because the rich - don't want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frida-kahlo/people-in-general-are-scared-to-death-of-the-war-and-all-the/) [Frida Kahlo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frida-kahlo/) > [I tried to drown my sorrows, but the bastards learned how to swim, and now I am overwhelmed by this decent and good feeling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frida-kahlo/i-tried-to-drown-my-sorrows-but-the-bastards-learned-how-to-swim-and/) [Frida Kahlo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frida-kahlo/) > [“I have not forgotten you — the nights are long and difficult. You too know that all my eyes see, all touch with myself,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frida-kahlo/i-have-not-forgotten-you-the-nights-are-long-and-difficult-you-too/) [Frida Kahlo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frida-kahlo/) > [Mankind owns its destiny, and its destiny is the earth. We are destroying it until we have no destiny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frida-kahlo/mankind-owns-its-destiny-and-its-destiny-is-the-earth-we-are/) [Frida Kahlo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frida-kahlo/) > [Take a lover who looks at you like maybe you are a bourbon biscuit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frida-kahlo/take-a-lover-who-looks-at-you-like-maybe-you-are-a-bourbon-biscuit/) [Frida Kahlo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frida-kahlo/) > [I paint flowers so they will not die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frida-kahlo/i-paint-flowers-so-they-will-not-die/) [Frida Kahlo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frida-kahlo/) > [Feet, what do I need you for when I have wings to fly?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frida-kahlo/feet-what-do-i-need-you-for-when-i-have-wings-to-fly/) [Frida Kahlo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frida-kahlo/) > [I leave you my portrait so that you will have my presence all the days and nights that I am away from you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frida-kahlo/i-leave-you-my-portrait-so-that-you-will-have-my-presence-all-the/) [Frida Kahlo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frida-kahlo/) [Explore all 83 Frida Kahlo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frida-kahlo/) ## More Art quotes > [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“Hear the sum of the whole matter in the compass of one brief word — every art possessed by man comes from Prometheus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/hear-the-sum-of-the-whole-matter-in-the-compass-of-one-brief-word/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/) [Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/) > [The capacity to be puzzled is the premise of all creation, be it in art or in science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-capacity-to-be-puzzled-is-the-premise-of-all-creation-be-it-in/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [That's the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“So, really," continued Jacob as if this were perfectly normal to expound on art in these circumstances, "when you think about it, the artists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justina-chen-headley/so-really-continued-jacob-as-if-this-were-perfectly-normal-to-expound/) [Justina Chen Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justina-chen-headley/) > [“There are two options in art; either to adopt philosophical life by dissecting art, or to write your own philosophical life and claim it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taf-teh/there-are-two-options-in-art-either-to-adopt-philosophical-life-by/) [Taf Teh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taf-teh/) > [The house has to serve comfort. The work of art is revolutionary; the house is conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-loos/the-house-has-to-serve-comfort-the-work-of-art-is-revolutionary-the/) [Adolf Loos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-loos/) > [During human progress, every science is evolved out of its corresponding art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/during-human-progress-every-science-is-evolved-out-of-its/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [In literature and art memory is a synonym for invention. It is the life-blood of imagination, which faints and dies when the veins are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-aris-willmott/in-literature-and-art-memory-is-a-synonym-for-invention-it-is-the/) [Robert Aris Willmott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-aris-willmott/) > [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/) [G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/) > [“The only thing--I tell you this straight from the heart--that disgusts me in Salzburg is that one can't have any proper social intercourse with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/the-only-thing-i-tell-you-this-straight-from-the-heart-that-disgusts/) [Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/) > [The sublime in art is the attempt to express the infinite without finding in the realm of phenomena any object which proves itself fitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/the-sublime-in-art-is-the-attempt-to-express-the-infinite-without/) [Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/) > [Art isn't done to decorate apartments, but to wage war against the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/art-isn-t-done-to-decorate-apartments-but-to-wage-war-against-the/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) [Browse all 48,643 Art quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I paint self-portraits because I am so often alone, because I am the person I know best.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Frida Kahlo" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frida-kahlo/i-paint-self-portraits-because-i-am-so-often-alone-because-i-am-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Art" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frida-kahlo/i-paint-self-portraits-because-i-am-so-often-alone-because-i-am-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c4/frida-kahlo-7157_art_i-paint-self-portraits-because-i-am-so-o_755512.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c4/frida-kahlo-7157_art_i-paint-self-portraits-because-i-am-so-o_755512.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c4/frida-kahlo-7157_art_i-paint-self-portraits-because-i-am-so-o_755512.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I paint self-portraits because I am so often alone, because I am the person I know best.” — Frida Kahlo", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Frida Kahlo", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frida-kahlo/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I paint self-portraits because I am...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frida-kahlo/i-paint-self-portraits-because-i-am-so-often-alone-because-i-am-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frida-kahlo/i-paint-self-portraits-because-i-am-so-often-alone-because-i-am-the/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```