Frida Kahlo

Second edition

The work of Frida Kahlo (1907-1954) is few in number: it consists of only one hundred and forty-three paintings, generally small in size, two-thirds of which are self-portraits.

This striking narcissism is closely linked to her biography, to her country and her time, to her eccentric natural gifts. Hieronymus Bosch and Bruegel the Elder, the great "enigmatic" painters of the sixteenth century, are among her favourite painters: Frida Kahlo never shows her wounds directly, whether they are physical or psychological. Her symbolic language is made up of subtle keys; it is rich in metaphors drawn from the depths of almost every culture in the world. Aztec founding myths, Far Eastern and ancient mythologies and popular Catholic beliefs are mixed with Mexican folklore and the thought of his time, with Marx and Freud.

This catalogue, first published in 2003, offers a selection of forty-two works by Frida Kahlo, reproduced in full and in detail, revealing the pictorial quality and the full richness, beauties and depths of the artist's work.