and a mestiza of mixed Indian and European lineage, held deeply conservative and religious views of a woman’s place in the world. On the other hand, Frida’s father was an artist, a photographer of some note who pushed her to think for herself. Amidst all the traditional domesticity, he fastened onto Frida as a surrogate son who would follow his steps into the creative arts.
Portrait of Miguel N. Lira
1927
Oil on canvas, 99.2 × 67.5 cm
Museo del Instituto Tlaxcala de Cultura, Tlaxcala
He became her very first mentor to set her aside from traditional roles accepted by the majority of Mexican women. She became his photographic assistant and began to learn the trade. Frida Kahlo was spoiled, indulged and impressionable. In 1922, to assure her a better than average education, she was also entered into the free National Preparatory School in San Ildefonso.
Portrait of Alicia Galant
1927
Oil on canvas, 107 × 93.5 cm
Museo Dolores Olmedo Patiño, Mexico City
She devoured her new freedom from mind-numbing domestic chores and hung out with a number of cliques within the school’s social structure. She found a real sense of belonging with the Cachuchas gang of intellectual bohemians – named after the type of hat they wore. Leading this motley elitist mob was Alejandro Gomez Arias, who reiterated in countless speeches that a new enlightenment for Mexico required “optimism, sacrifice, love, joy” and bold leadership.
Portrait of My Sister Cristina
1928
Oil on wood, 99 × 81.5 cm
Collection Otto Atencio Troconis, Caracas
She remained a committed and vocal Communist for the rest of her life. The atmosphere in Mexico City was alive with political debate and danger, as volatile speakers stepped forward to challenge whatever regime claimed power only to be gunned down in the street, or absorbed into the corruption. Diaz fell to Madero who lasted 13 months until he stopped a lethal load of bullets from his general Victoriano Huerta.
Portrait of Alejandro Gómez Arias
1928
Oil on canvas, Bequest of Alejandro Gómez Arias,
Mexico City
Later, Venustiano Carranza assumed power as Huerta fled Mexico, and was no better than the lot who had preceded him. Into this vacuum were thrust the proletariat ideals of the Communist revolution that had swept Russia following the assassination of the Czar and his family in 1917. The socialist theories of Marx and Engels looked promising after the slaughter of the seemingly endless Mexican revolution.
Girl in Diaper
1929
Oil on canvas, 65.5 × 44 cm
(Portrait of Isolda Pinedo Kahlo)
Private collection
And yet, for all this progressive political dialectic and debate, Frida retained some of her mother’s Catholic teachings and developed a passionate love of all things traditionally Mexican. During this time, her father gave her a set of water colors and brushes. He often took his paints along with his camera on expeditions and assignments.
The Bus
1929
Oil on canvas, 25.8 × 55.5 cm
Museo Dolores Olmedo Patiño, Mexico City
Frida became a casual student at the Preparatory School, enjoying the stimulation of her intellectual friends rather than the formal studies. During this period, she learned the minister of education had commissioned a large mural to be painted in the Preparatory School courtyard. It was titled Creation and covered 150 square meters of wall. The muralist was the Mexican artist, Diego Rivera, who had been working in Europe for the past 14 years.
Portrait of Virginia
1929
Oil on masonite, 77.3 × 60 cm
Museo Dolores Olmedo Patiño, Mexico City
To Frida, the creation of the growing scene spreading its way across the blank wall was fascinating. She and some friends often sneaked into the auditorium to watch Rivera work. From a very early age, Frida had been taught by her father to appreciate the art of painting. As part of her education he encouraged her to copy popular prints and drawings of other artists.
Self-Portrait “Time Flies”
1929
Oil on masonite, 86 × 68 cm
Private collection, USA
To ease the financial situation at home, she apprenticed with the engraver Fernando Fernandez. Fernandez praised her work and gave her time to copy prints and drawings with pen and ink – as a hobby, a means of personal expression, not as “art” because she had no thought of becoming a professional artist. She considered the skills of artists such as Diego Rivera far beyond her capabilities.
Portrait of a Lady in White
c.1929
Oil on canvas, 119 × 81 cm
Private collection, Germany
And then everything changed forever. In Kahlo’s words to author, Raquel Tibol:
The buses in those days were absolutely flimsy; they had started to run and were very successful, but the streetcars were empty. I boarded the bus with Alejandro Gomez Arias and was sitting next to him on the end next to the handrail.
Moments later the bus crashed into a streetcar of the Xochimilco Line and the streetcar crushed the bus against the street corner. It was a strange crash, not violent, but dull and slow, and it injured everyone, me much more seriously…
Self-Portrait
1930
Oil
