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Frida Kahlo

Frida Kahlo was a Mexican painter born in 1907 who is best known for her many self-portraits. She died in 1954. Kahlo was involved in a tragic bus accident as a teenager that caused lifelong pain and left her unable to have children. During her recovery, she began painting and focused on portraits of herself and her family. She married the famous Mexican muralist Diego Rivera and, though their marriage was sometimes strained, they remained married until Kahlo's death. Today Kahlo is celebrated globally for her art and its exploration of Mexican identity and female experience.

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359 views2 pages

Frida Kahlo

Frida Kahlo was a Mexican painter born in 1907 who is best known for her many self-portraits. She died in 1954. Kahlo was involved in a tragic bus accident as a teenager that caused lifelong pain and left her unable to have children. During her recovery, she began painting and focused on portraits of herself and her family. She married the famous Mexican muralist Diego Rivera and, though their marriage was sometimes strained, they remained married until Kahlo's death. Today Kahlo is celebrated globally for her art and its exploration of Mexican identity and female experience.

Uploaded by

mariliarohw
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Frida Kahlo

Born:
July 6th 1907

Died:
July 13th 1954

Real Name:
Magdalena Carmen Frida Kahlo y Calderón

Frida Kahlo was born in a village just outside of Mexico City


‘I paint self-portraits
called Coyoacán. Her parents were Guillermo Kahlo, a German because I am so often
photographer, and Matilde Calderón y González. She had alone, because I am the
three sisters, along with two half-sisters from her father’s person I know best.’
first marriage. Frida Kahlo
When Frida was just six years old, she contracted polio. Polio
is a viral disease passed from one person to another. Frida was left with a right leg that
was shorter and thinner than her left leg. She spent many months recovering, resulting in a
delayed start to school. During this period, she spent a lot time with her father, who taught
her about photography.
Frida went to several schools as a child, including a brief period of homeschooling. She was
accepted to the National Preparatory School in 1922. This was a huge honor. At this time in
history, the National Preparatory School had only just begun letting females into their school.
While attending the National Preparatory School, Frida had dreams of becoming a doctor.
On September 17th 1925, Frida and her boyfriend were involved in a horrible accident. The
wooden bus they were riding in collided with a streetcar. Frida suffered severe injuries that
left her bedridden. It was during this time Frida began painting. She had a special easel that
could be used while she laid in bed. Frida mainly painted portraits of herself and family.

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Frida Kahlo

Upon her recovery, Frida began spending time with friends


‘I never paint dreams or
and was introduced to the Mexican Communist Party, also nightmares. I paint my
known as PCM. Soon after, Frida met the successful Mexican own reality.’
artist Diego Rivera. Even though Diego was twenty years older Frida Kahlo
than Frida, they married on August 21st 1929.
Frida was very proud of her Mexican heritage. This pride
showed in the way she dressed, as well as her art. She often
dressed in clothes of native Mexican peasants, while her
art was greatly influenced by ‘mexicanidad’, which roughly
translates to Mexican-ness. Mexicanidad was a movement to
revive indigenous Mexican culture. Frida’s painting also often
showed pain and suffering.
Frida traveled across Europe and the United States to
showcase her paintings. The Louvre in Paris purchased one
Photo courtesy of Cea.(@flickr.com) - granted under creative commons licence - attribution
of Frida’s paintings and made her the first Mexican artist to
have art purchased by a world-renowned museum. Even with this success, Frida did not really
become a famous artist until after her death.
Throughout her career, Frida was often thought of as ‘Diego’s wife’, although her relationship
with her husband was often strained. They even divorced and later remarried.
In 1950, Frida’s health drastically declined. She spent a long time in the hospital. During this
time, she focused on still-life painting and kept up an interest in politics. Frida died at her
home on July 13th 1954.
Today, there is a museum dedicated to Frida Kahlo at the house where she was born and
grew up. This home is often referred to as the ‘Blue House’ or ‘La Casa Azul’. The museum
features art from Frida, her husband Diego and other Mexican artists.

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