During this period, Frida's health had declined to the point where she spent most of her days confined to bed. Because of her poor health, now and over the years, death was always on her mind as symbolized by the skull and crossbones that appear in the circular window on her forehead. In the ancient Mexican sense, death simultaneously means rebirth and life. In this self portrait, death is presented against a detailed background of thorny branches…a symbol derived from pre-Hispanic mythology through which the artist points to the rebirth that follows death. For death is understood as a path or transition to a life of a different kind. [http://www.fridakahlofans.com/c0450.html]