When Did Frida Kahlo Start Painting?

Frida Kahlo (1907–1954) was a Mexican painter whose self-portraits have become a major icon of modern art. She began painting at age fifteen, and although she was self-taught, her work was influenced by Mexican folk art and European artists such as Diego Rivera, whom she later married. Kahlo’s paintings often deal with themes of pain, death, and identity. In 1925, the artist was injured in a bus accident in Mexico City that left her with lifelong health problems. In 1953, Kahlo had her first solo show in Mexico City. She died the following year at the age of 47. Kahlo’s work has been celebrated by feminists and members of the LGBTQ+ community. Her paintings have been exhibited in major museums all over the world, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, since she began painting at the age of 23, after a traumatic bus accident involving a streetcar crushed her pelvis, caused her several miscarriages, resulted in lifelong medical problems, and left her unable to have more children. A feature film about Kahlo’s life—Frida—was released in 2002.