Frida Kahlo
The Mexican artist
‘Frieda Kahlo’
is one of the most
important 20th
Century artists.
Frieda Kahlo – Her Life

Born July 6, 1907 in the
town of Coyoacán in
Mexico, Frida Kahlo
survived many difficult
events in her life,
including contracting
polio as a child, a long
recovery from a serious
car accident and two
failed marriages.
Frieda Kahlo – Her Life


Kahlo survived thanks to her
immense strength and strong
will to live, she was
hospitalised many times,
underwent somewhere near 30
operations and suffered much
pain in her life.
She used alcohol and drugs
as a way to help deal with
the pain. She also expressed
much of her pain and
frustrations through her art.
Frieda Kahlo – Her Life

She used these
experiences, combined
with strong Mexican and
Native American
cultural influences, to
create highly personal
paintings.

Some people may think
her paintings are fantasy,
surrealist or Magic
Realism, but she
considered her art to be
realistic.
Frieda Kahlo – Her Life

She painted
using vibrant
colors in a style
that was
influenced by
the Mexican
culture.
Frieda Kahlo – Her Life
Scream by Edvard Munch typifies Symbolism.

Salvador Dali ‘Narrative Surrealist Painting’ 1950
She was also influenced by European art movements
such include Realism, Symbolism, and Surrealism.
Many of her works are self-portraits that
symbolically express her own pain.
Frida Kahlo 1907-1954

Self Portrait with
Velvet Dress 1926

This is a self portrait of Frida
Kahlo and her first serious
work
It was painted as a gift for her
student boyfriend who had left
her and she hoped to win him
back
The aristocratic pose reflects
Kahlo interest in renaissance
art, while the mannerist
elongation of the neck are
influenced by the work of
Amedeo Modigliani.


Frida Kahlo 1907-1954

Self Portrait with Itzcuintli
Dog 1938

This picture shows an seductive
young woman with full face and
sensual lips.
The mood of this painting is of
loneliness.
Only the tiny Itzcuintli dog offers
Frida Kahlo the security and
affection that she frequently sought
fro many of her pets


Frida Kahlo 1907-1954

Self Portrait with
Monkey1938

In Mexican Mythology the
monkey is the patron of
dance, but also a symbol
lust.

Here however, the artist
portrays the animal in such a
way that it becomes the only
truly living tender and soulful
being in the painting with its
arm placed protectively
around her neck.
Frida Kahlo 1907-1954

Self Portrait dedicated
to Dr Eleosser 1940

On the baderole at the bottom
of the dedication (translated)
reads
“I painted my portrait in the
year of 1940 for Dr Leo
Eleosser, my doctor and best
friend. With all love Frida
Kahlo

Frida Kahlo 1907-1954

Me & My Parrots 1941

This portrait arose during her
love affair with Nickolas
Murray.

He helped her prepare for her
exhibition in New York

The four parrots are taken
from Hindu Imagery, where
they serve the bearers of the
love god Kama.

And are used to symbolise the
artists relationship with Murray
Frida Kahlo 1907-1954

Self Portrait with
Monkeys 1943

Diego saw Kahlo as “the
personification of all natural
glory”.

He was thereby referring both
outward appearance and the
subject she incorporated into
her paintings

She painted the flora and
fauna of Mexico, depicted
cacti, plants of the primeval
forest, volcanic rock.
Frida Kahlo 1907-1954






Web Sites
www.Tate.org.uk
www.pbs.org
www.Ask.com
www.fridakahlo.com
Go to the shared drive for this PPT and the
portrait images for your essay.