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Frida Kahlo Facts

Frida Kahlo Facts
Frida Kahlo was a Mexican painter who became famous for her self-portraits. She was born Magdalena Carmen Frida Kahlo y Calderon on July 6, 1907, in Coyoacan, near Mexico City, to Guillermo Kahlo, and Matilde Calderon y Gonzalez. Her father was a photographer, born in Germany, and her mother was born in Oaxaca. At the age of six Frida contracted polio and once she recovered she had a limp, which she helped by playing sports and staying active. In 1925, while traveling with a fellow student from the National Preparatory School, a bus accident resulted in her receiving a fractured pelvis and spine. She began to paint while in recovery, which would lead to her career as a painter and being known eventually as one of Mexico's greatest artists.
Interesting Frida Kahlo Facts:
Frida Kahlo changed her birthdate to three years later, in 1910, because she wanted her birth to have coincided with the birth of modern Mexico and the Mexican Revolution.
Frida Kahlo often wore long skirts to cover up the damage to her leg left behind from having polio as a child.
As a result of the bus accident in 1925 Frida Kahlo had to undergo 35 operations during her lifetime. She had to endure bouts of extreme pain and was unable to have any children because of her injuries.
The first self-portraits that Frida Kahlo painted were done in her hospital bed. She used the mirror that was across her bed to allow her to paint her own portrait.
Frida Kahlo had planned a career in medicine but as a result of the bus accident she changed her career path and chose to become an artist.
Frida Kahlo became known for her self-portraits. She painted 143 works of art during her career. 55 were self-portraits.
Frida Kahlo painted self-portraits for a reason. She said, "I paint myself because I am so often alone and because I am the subject I know best."
Frida Kahlo's most famous self-portrait is considered by many to be "Self Portrait with Thorn Necklace and Hummingbird".
Frida Kahlo married a famous painter named Diego Rivera in 1929 after having known each other for a few years. She was 22 and he was 42. He encouraged her to pursue art.
Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera divorced for a year during their marriage, due to affairs. When they remarried they remained married until Frida's death.
Frida Kahlo did not become famous until after her death. She had some success while alive but was known mostly for being married to a famous Mexican painter.
Despite not being extremely well-known, those who did know of her work were fans. In France the famous artist Picasso wined and dined her, and she even appeared on French Vogue's cover.
In 1953 Frida Kahlo had her first one person art exhibition. She had to be taken by ambulance during the exhibition because of a health emergency.
In the year leading up to her death Frida's health was failing and her right leg was amputated below the knee. She attempted suicide a few times.
Frida Kahlo died on July 26, 1954, at the age of 47. Her artwork became famous several years after her death, as is common in the art world.
In 1995 one of Frida Kahlo's self-portraits sold for $3.2 million, which was the highest price for a painting from Mexico ever paid.


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