Frida Kahlo

Frida Kahlo born July 6th 1907 - July 13th 1954, was a Mexican Surrealist artist known mostly for her self portraits. As a young woman she wanted to become a doctor, however after a severe car accident that left her immobile for 3 months at the age of 18 she turned her attention away from her medical studies and instead turned to painting. Her father gave Frida a large mirror which was mounted by her bed so she could see her self - he first self portrait was called 'Self Portrait in a Velvet Dress'. She once said 'I paint myself because I am so often alone and because I am the subject I know best'. Many of her works were based around her romantic life - especially that of Diego Rivera, who left Frida heartbroken when he caused a huge scandal by sleeping with film star Maria Felix, an intimate friend of Frida's. Her work is very personal and open. Her hair seems to be a repeating theme as a source of her anguish, which is seen in many of her portraits as almost strangling her. An example of this is her painting called 'Diego and I' painted in 1949. She after turning 47, and her official cause of death was given as a 'pulmonary embolism'.

Some of her works:

Self Portrait in a Velvet Dress:

Diego and I:

Without Hope: