Edition: 199/250 Signed in the Print

Condition: Excellent

Printed on Arches France Paper

Sheet size: 19 11/16" wide x 27" high (50 x 70cm)

Image size: 17 7/16" wide x 21 9/16" high (44.4 x 55cm)

Embossed with the stamp of Leonardo Artis

License of Frida Kahlo Museum and published by Pro Cartier Limited Editions

About the artist:

Considered one of Mexico's greatest artists, Frida Kahlo was born on July 6, 1907 in Coyocoan, Mexico City, Mexico. She had poor health in her childhood, contracted polio at the age of 6 and had to be bedridden for nine months. This disease caused her right leg and foot to grow much thinner than her left one. She limped after she recovered from polio. She has been wearing long skirts to cover that for the rest of her life. 

Frida Kahlo attended the renowned National Preparatory School in Mexico City in the year of 1922. There she first met the famous Mexican muralist Diego Rivera, with whom she would later be married to twice.

Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera's marriage is not a usual one. They had been keeping separate homes and studios for all those years. Diego had so many affairs and one that was with Kahlo's sister Cristina. Frida Kahlo was so sad and she cut off her long hair to show her desperation to the betrayal. Kahlo and Rivera had been separated a few times but they always went back together. 

In 1938, Frida Kahlo became a friend of Andre Breton, who is one of the primary figures of the Surrealism movement. Frida said she never considered herself as a Surrealist "until André Breton came to Mexico and told me I was one." 

About one week after her 47th birthday, Frida Kahlo passed away at her beloved Blue House. She was publicly reported to have died of a pulmonary embolism but there is speculation that she died of a possible suicide.

About the art:

During the later years of Frida's life, she was tortured by numerous illness and complications. This self portrait was painted in 1943 and Frida's health was deteriorating during that period and she had to be bedridden most of the time. 

Due to her poor health condition, death is an inevitable thought which lingered over her mind. In this painting, death is symbolized as a skull and crossbones which shows up in her forehead. In ancient Mexican culture, death also means rebirth and life. In this portrait, she put herself against a background with lavish green leaves, which is a symbol of life. It seems Frida understood that death is a path to another form of life.