The Artistically Paralleled Lives of Dorothy Hale and Frida Kahlo

Frida Kahlo and Dorothy Hale Were Both Married to Artists That Profoundly Contributed to the Revival of Fresco Painting: Diego Rivera and Gardner Hale

Diego Rivera (1886 - 1957) needs no introduction. He is considered one of the greatest Mexican artist of the 20th century, along with his extraordinary wife Frida Kahlo. Among Rivera’s many contributions to the international art world is his work in fresco painting. Fresco consists of painting on fresh plaster with colors ground in water only. At an early age, Rivera studied painting throughout Europe and was inspired by the Renaissance Frescoes of Italy. He chose this demanding and difficult medium which allowed him to express his passion for history, politics and humanity in a grand scale with murals for the public.

Gardner Hale

In the late 1920s, Chicago-born Gardner Gale (1894 -1931) would not have needed an introduction. He was considered one of the youngest and foremost painters in the revival of fresco painting in America. Married to Dorothy Donovan Hale, Gardner was also known for his portrait paintings and unique interior designs. Tragically, Gardner Hale died at age 37 on December 28, 1931 in an automobile accident. Gardner and Dorothy were temporarily living in California because he had been commissioned to paint several murals throughout the state.

Gardner Hale’s father was the noted professor, William Gardner Hale, who served as the first director of the American School of Classical Studies in Rome. His mother, Harriet Swinburne Hale, was a direct descendent of the poet Swinburne.

Like Diego Rivera, Gardner Hale began painting at an early age. In his youth, Gardner was tutored in Rome due to his father’s work. He also studied in Chicago and at the Academie Julien in Paris.

'Descent from the Cross, In a chapel at Pau, France.

Hale’s work in the medium of fresco was commissioned throughout France, Italy and London, but he insisted on bringing the neglected art of true fresco to America. His famous murals were in the merchants trust building in Chicago, the famous Cloud Club in the Chrysler building in New York City and throughout affluent homes in America.

Jose´ Clemente Orozco, who never personally met Gardner Hale, expressed his deepest respect and appreciation for the young painter’s art upon Hale’s tragic and premature death.

Featured in a 1927 issue of ‘House & Garden’.
"The striking wall decorations of this bathroom are not painted in oils but executed in that great medium of the Renaissance—fresco. The dado is marbleized and finished at the tip to represent a shelf. This delightful bathtub niche is in the Paris residence of Mrs. Selma Lewisohn and was painted by Gardner Hale."

The Hampshire House, NYC, Dorothy Hale's 1938 Residence Immortalized On Canvas By Frida Kahlo

The phrase “Dedicated to Yesterday’s Charm and Today’s Convenience” is etched in stone and hangs proudly by the front entrance of the famed New York City skyscraper the Hampshire House, where Dorothy Hale lived until her untimely death in 1938. It still remains one of the most recognizable and historical landmarks in the Big Apple.

Located at 150 Central Park South, the Hampshire House boasts old-world allure and yesterday’s charm and has been called “home” by many notable socialites and celebrities, including Greta Garbo and Luciano Pavarotti.

On that cold morning of October 21, 1938 Dorothy Hale was found dead on the sidewalk in front of her apartment building at the Hampshire House. Just weeks later, she would be immortalized in Frida Kahlo’s famous painting of her “El Suicidio de Dorothy Hale.”

To this day, the Hampshire House remains one of New York City’s most famous landmarks and sought-after properties due to its locale to Central Park and 5th Avenue.