Frida Kahlo's Haunting Self-Portrait Poised to Break Auction Records
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A 1940 self-portrait by Frida Kahlo, 'The Dream,' is set to make history at Sotheby's New York auction house on Thursday. The painting, estimated to fetch between $40 million and $60 million, could surpass the record for the most expensive work by a female artist, currently held by Georgia O'Keeffe's 'Jimson Weed/White Flower No. 1' at $44.4 million. This would be a significant milestone for the Mexican artist, whose previous auction record was $34.9 million for 'Diego and I,' a portrait of herself and her husband, muralist Diego Rivera, sold in 2021. The self-portrait, which depicts Kahlo asleep in a colonial-style bed amidst a golden blanket and a levitating skeleton, is a poignant reflection of her life experiences. Born with a debilitating spinal condition, Kahlo's life was marked by chronic pain and trauma, including a devastating bus accident at 18 that left her bedridden and requiring multiple surgeries. Her artwork often served as a means of coping with her suffering, and 'The Dream' is no exception. Sotheby's describes the painting as a 'spectral meditation on the porous boundary between sleep and death,' highlighting Kahlo's ability to convey the complexities of her own mortality through her art. The sale, featuring over 100 surrealist works by artists such as Salvador Dalí and René Magritte, is expected to attract significant attention from art collectors and enthusiasts alike.
