The elements of this painting are intended to symbolize the three most prominent aspects of Frida Khalo's life: art, love and suffering. Frida is crowned with brushes to celebrate her art. She is wrapped in thorns to symbolize her life of suffering and pain, both physical and, as represented by Diego Rivera's image, emotional as well. But Diego is emerging from a rose, to symbolize Frida's love for Diego. The broken column is a reflection of Frida's own painting of "The Broken Column", done at the time she began wearing a steel brace to support her broken "column".