Icons of the Art World: Frida Kahlo-Frida in Flames

Frida in Flames (Self-portrait inside a sunflower), 1953-54. Credit: Private Collection, USA. Photo courtesy of Mary-Anne Martin Fine Art New York.

Taschen has released a huge book, Frida Kahlo: The Complete Paintings, bringing all of her work together in one place for the first time. Mexican art historian Luis-Martín Lozano, along with Andrea Kettenmann and Marina Vazquez Ramos, put together notes on all 152 of Kahlo’s known paintings; including some that only exist in old photos.

One of her most powerful late works is Frida in Flames (Self-Portrait Inside a Sunflower). This deeply emotional piece has a dramatic backstory; shortly before her death, Kahlo actually took a knife to it, scraping away the paint in frustration. Whether it was a reaction to her failing health or a symbolic act, the result is chilling. Those who saw it happen described it as almost ritualistic, making the painting even more haunting and unforgettable.