On July 6, 1907, Frida Kahlo was born in Mexico, a woman whose life was marked by a terrible accident that left her with serious physical scars, but also by her love for life, for art, the traditions of her country, politics and for the stormy relationship she had with her husband, the painter Diego Rivera
Who was Frida Kahlo?
Frida Kahlo was a Mexican painter, recognized for her famous self-portraits, classified as part of the surrealist movement. The painter, who said she did not identify with the movement, created her own style taking aspects of her life, mixing them with elements of nature and Mexican identity. Frida was inspired by popular culture to explore gender, class, race, and Mexican society through her painting. Frida Kahlo's paintings are works of autobiographical material, combining fantasy and magical realism with the true events of her life.
How did Frida Kahlo influence art?
During her life and artistic career, Frida Kahlo rescued the roots of Mexican popular art, through her art, her clothing and ideologies. As a renowned portrait painter, who embodied in her works the influence of nature and the artifices of Mexico, Frida enhanced the national popular culture. Frida Kahlo's work is a sample of the evolution of art in her country, due to the autobiographical traits of her paintings, expressed through magical realism and fantasy.
THE 7 MOST FAMOUS (AND IMPORTANT) PAINTINGS OF FRIDA KAHLO
SELF-PORTRAIT IN VELVET SUITS (1926)
This is the first self-portrait of Frida Kahlo. He painted it after the accident he suffered in 1925 and gave it to Alejandro Gómez Arias, his classmate and boyfriend, as a proof of love to win back his affection.
SELF-PORTRAIT WITH THORN NECKLACE (1940)
One of Frida's most famous self-portraits, painted in 1940, after her divorce (which would only last a few months) with Diego Rivera. In it he appears with a necklace similar to the crown of thorns of Christ, representing suffering, and with three animals, a monkey, a hummingbird and a cat, which symbolize unrequited love, luck in love and bad luck.
THE LOVE EMBRACED OF THE UNIVERSE (1949)
This painting represents two important aspects of Frida's life: her failed relationship with motherhood and her dependence on Diego Rivera. In addition, it is also mixed, as in many of his works, with the culture and cosmogony of ancient Mexico.
THE WOUNDED DEER (1946)
Frida had a deer called "hail" and it inspired her to portray herself as one. An innocent and defenseless animal that, like her, is injured, but despite everything, he continues to be seen as strong.
THE BROKEN COLUMN (1944)
A symbol of pain. The work was painted after undergoing spinal surgery due to an accident in his youth. Tears of pain can be seen on the painter's face.
THE TWO FRIDAS (1931)
Quite an icon. In it she talks about duality, representing herself as a woman in traditional Mexican clothing and European-type clothing. The two women have, however, exposed their hearts linked by arteries, veins and blood.
LIVE LIFE (1954)
"Long live life / Frida Kahlo / Coyoacán 1954 Mexico" is the inscription on this painting. It was the last painting by Frida, who could have chosen watermelons since this fruit, despite being colorful and optimistic, is closely related to the Day of the Dead.