Artists Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo
By the summer of 1938, Frida Kahlo was on her way to being discovered as an artist in her own right, rather than only being referred to as the wife of famed Mexican muralist Diego Rivera. That summer, actor and art collector Edward G. Robinson had traveled to Mexico City just to see her paintings and had paid $200 each for four of them. Frida was thrilled. She had sold only a few of her paintings so far and had been content to just give them away. She later wrote of the Robinson sale:
“For me it was such a surprise that I marveled and said, “This way I am going to be able to be free; I’ll be able to travel and do what I want without asking Diego for money.”
She and Diego had become increasingly estranged because of his many illicit extramarital affairs, including one with Frida’s sister Cristina. Frida was heartsick by Diego’s infidelities and retaliated by having multiple affairs of her own, with both men and women. Despite their discord, they remained deeply in love. Frida and Diego made up one of those married couples who could neither stay together nor apart. By the summer of 1939, they would be divorced – only to remarry a year later.
“Self-Portrait Dedicated to Leon Trotsky (Between the Curtains)” by Frida Kahlo, 1937
That November, Frida Kahlo traveled to New York City for her first one-person exhibition of her paintings, held at the Julien Levy Gallery, confident in her new status as celebrated artist. As always, her exotic Zapotec clothing and heavy jewelry created a buzz in the press. Her show was a great success. Time magazine noted that “the flutter of the week in Manhattan was caused by the first exhibition of paintings by famed muralist Diego Rivera’s…wife, Frida Kahlo.” Frida Kahlo’s hand, bedecked with huge rings, adorned a cover of Vogue.
Notables such as artist Georgia O’Keeffe attended the gallery exhibit as did playwright and former editor of the fashion magazine Vanity Fair Clare Boothe Luce.
Claire Boothe Brokaw (Luce) (1903-1987) as photographed by Cecil Beaton for the August 1934 issue of Vanity Fair
Luce remembered the occasion well:
“The exhibition was crowded. Frida Kahlo came up to me through the crowd and at once began talking about Dorothy’s suicide [Dorothy Hale was a friend of both Kahlo and Luce’s].…Kahlo wasted no time suggesting that she do a recuerdo of Dorothy. I did not speak enough Spanish to understand what the word recuerdo meant….I thought Kahlo would paint a portrait of Dorothy in the style of her own self-portrait [dedicated to Trotsky][see above], which I bought in Mexico….
Suddenly it came to me that a portrait of Dorothy by a famous painter friend might be something [Dorothy’s] poor mother might like to have. I said so, and Kahlo thought so, too. I asked the price, Kahlo told me, and I said, ‘Go ahead. Send the portrait to me when it is finished. I will then send it on to Dorothy’s mother.’”
Dorothy Hale was a sometime actress, Ziegfeld showgirl, and socialite. Hale’s life had gone downhill seven years earlier after her husband Gardner Hale was killed when his car drove off a 500 foot cliff in Santa Maria, California. Hale’s career as an actress was drying up; she was failing her screen tests. She was in severe financial trouble and living on charity from friends. On October 20, 1938, Hale assembled her close friends for a party at her New York apartment and announced that she was taking a long trip. The farewell party lasted until the wee hours of the morning. Hale stayed up writing good-bye letters to her friends and drinking the last of the vodka. A little before 6 a.m. on the 21st, Hale put on her black velvet dress and pinned on it a corsage of small yellow roses sent to her by the sculptor Isamu Noguchi. She then climbed onto the windowsill of her luxury high-rise apartment suite and jumped to her death.
“The Suicide of Dorothy Hale” by Frida Kahlo, 1938/39
From the encounter between Luce and Kahlo at the gallery exhibit arose one of Frida Kahlo’s most shocking and controversial paintings, “The Suicide of Dorothy Hale” (1938/39). Kahlo painted Dorothy Hale as she jumped, fell, and landed, dead and bloody, on the concrete walk outside her apartment building. Blood-red lettering at the bottom of the retablo details the tragedy in Spanish:
“In New York City on the 21st of October 1938, at 6:00 in the morning, Dorothy Hale committed suicide by throwing herself from a very high window in the Hampshire House. In her memory, this portrait was executed by Frida Kahlo.”
Luce recalls the horror she felt when the painting was delivered to her home and she first laid eyes on it.
“[W]hen I pulled the painting out of the crate…I felt really physically sick. What was I going to do with this gruesome painting of the smashed corpse of my friend, and her blood dripping down all over the frame? I could not return it – across the top of the painting there was an angel waving an unfurled banner which proclaimed in Spanish that this was ‘The Suicide of Dorothy Hale, painted at the request of Clare Boothe Luce, for the mother of Dorothy’. I would not have requested such a gory picture of my worst enemy, much less of my unfortunate friend.”
Luce wanted to have the painting destroyed, but was dissuaded by friends. Instead, she had sculptor and friend Noguchi paint over the angel with the banner and gave the painting to a friend.
Luce couldn’t have known at the time that Kahlo was in a desperate state of mind as she always was when she was afraid of losing Diego. At the time she painted “The Suicide of Dorothy Hale,” Kahlo herself was having repeated thoughts of committing suicide.
READERS: For more posts on Frida Kahlo, click here.
For more on Dorothy Hale, read my post, “Dorothy Hale and the Dymaxion Car.”
Lisa's History Room 
The painting is on view at the Phoenix Art Museum.
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Have you seen it? I’m told that Frida’s paintings are small.
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I just saw it March 31. It’s about 24″ x 19″.
Most of her paintings are small, as she often painted while bedridden.
The largest I’ve seen is “The Two Fridas” which is 5′ 7″ square.
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I don’t think I’ve ever seen one of Frida’s paintings. It’s interesting to note the size of “The Two Fridas.” I had no idea it was so large. I guess she didn’t paint that one while prone! What other Frida art is in Phoenix right now?
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That was the only one I saw at PAM.
The MOMA (Mexico City) normally has “The Two Fridas.”
San Francisco MOMA has the Frida painting of her and Diego holding hands.
The biggest cache is at the Dolores Olmedo Museum (Mexico City).
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Have you seen “The Two Fridas”?
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Yes, here at the Frida Show at SFMOMA last year and a few times in Mexico City. It is definitely one of my favorites, along with the self portrait with hummingbird.
Frida is one of the central characters in the Rivera mural at City College of SF.
http://www.riveramural.org.
I am an historian on this mural.
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Will, I have spent the last hour on your rivera website. Fascinating stuff! I find it curious that among the photographs is one of Paulette Goddard, one of Diego’s lovers! I loved the undated letter from Diego to the architect in which Diego declares he cannot attend parties anymore because he no longer has Frida to tie his tuxedo ties! Good stuff. Thanks! You have a neat job.
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We have extensive archives open to the public at our Rosenberg Library.
Emmy Lou Packard, Rivera’s primary assistant on our mural, returned to Mexico and spent 10 months living with Diego and Frida. She acted as his secretary and kept copies of the correspondance, as well as documenting aspects of their home life. There are a couple of famous photos of Emmy Lou and Frida, the only known photos taken by Diego.
ELP worked for years on a book that was never finished. Her family has graciously given us access to it all. Timothy Pflueger, one of SF’s most famous architects and Rivera’s patron, kept records of everything. We have also had access to this info.
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Last night, I saw the Emmy Lou photos in a big Frida portraits book I had forgotten I owned. Emmy Lou was so fair and blonde next to Frida’s darkness. She looked as if she loved Frida very much.
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ELP went on to a great career in graphics, including work done for UNESCO. We have some of her prints in our archives, a gift from Don Cairns, her son and a good friend of our project.
Frida sent ELP some very affectionate postcards, exhorting her to take good care of Diego in Frida’s absence.
Hope you get to UT to see the Frida portrait with hummingbird.
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I will see the art this weekend. I think I’ll ride my scooter there!
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Facinating post about a fascinating woman. If she’d written that scene in a book, she would not have been so heavily criticized. Think of The Great Gatsby when Daisy runs over her husband’s lover and the body lies in the car shop. It is very graphic. What would the image be if Fitzgerald had been a painter? What if a man had painted this scene? Have you ever seen Rivera’s murals here in Detroit at the DIA? There are disturbing images in the mural. Disembodied body parts etc
Jennifer
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I have not seen Diego’s murals. I have many Frida books and many are disturbing. I also have her diary which indicates an obsessive and troubled mind. Thanks for saying hello. I hope you are doing well.
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Hi. I have seen a movie about them it was fantastic, But i didn’t think that the story maight be real.
In that movie my mavorate character Antonio also played a role.
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I have not seen the movie, “Frida.” Frida’s life was certainly movie material – a lot of outrageous parts that don’t seem believable today.
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Thanks for a fantastic explanation of the origin of this painting and Noguchi’s role in modifying it. I had no idea of these individuals’ roles in having this work commissioned.
I’ve read several book on Kahlo and recommend the one by Hayden Herrera. There is also a YouTube video of her speaking about the painting “A Few Small Nips:”
I remember staring at this painting and trying to comprehend why Kahlo would make such a detailed portrait of this tragedy about which I’d never heard.
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I am glad you enjoyed it. I am using the Herrera bio extensively and plan to write a Part 2 to “The Suicide of Dorothy Hale.” Thanks for the tip on the video. There are so few photos of D. Hale. I wish I could see more. Thanks for visiting. Keep coming back. Oh, did you read “Dorothy Hale and the Dymaxion Car” on my site?
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Lisa
I’m not sure if I responded to this message. I did read the piece on the Dymaxion Car. Wonderful.
I hope your work is going well. Are you working on a book on Hale? Kahlo?
Andrew Raimist
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Thank you for the compliments and I appreciate you visiting Lisa’s History Room. I’m not working on a book right now but I have found the response to my blogs on Dorothy Hale to be surprisingly popular. That has led me to keep finding out more about her. I actually have more info about the last days of her life that I need to post but haven’t gotten around to it yet.
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I saw a great many Frieda painting years earlier (84 or 85) in a show at a converted boat house next to a park lake in East Los Angeles. It was before the book had come out and she was little known to anyone but scholars. That was a rare memory I treasure and yes, the paintings aren’t large.
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Yeah, the movie really ignited Frida’s fame. Awesome that you saw the art before it became so widely known.
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Frida is passion and violence, flesh and blood, the human substance, without pretense.
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I agree with everything you said except the last thing. Frida was full of pretense – the costume, the exotic animals, the drama, the shocking images in her art. That’s what made her different and she knew it. She and Diego were the Mexican exotics in the U.S. and Europe. It was the core of their appeal – and Frida made sure that she didn’t disappoint.
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Excuse me, but i do not speak english well, probably this word was not suitable. I mean Frida expressed without fear to upset or shock, with naturalness almost a biological act. Excuse my bad english!
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Oh, I see what you mean. She was not all afraid to be herself. Thanks for writing back. I think your English is fine.
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why did frida kahlo love to paint animals???
what role did animals play in frida kahlo’s life???
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Frida had many unusual pets, among them Aztec chihuahuas, deer, and monkeys plus cats and birds. They roamed her home and courtyard and gave her pleasure. She never had children so the animals were her babies.
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The dogs were Xoloitzcuintli dogs. A friend of mine raises them and has a dog descended from Frida’s dogs.
They were popularized by Diego and Frida as lap dogs and roam the gardens of the Dolores Olmedo Museum.
Of course the Aztecs also used them to make tacos.
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Hi, Will. I am so glad to hear from you. I have written a post on Frida and the itzcuintlis: “Frida and the Fire Dogs.” I have 4 dachshunds, a yorkie, and one chihuahua. The itzcuintlis look like a doxie/chihuahua mix. How awesome that your friend has a Frida dog descendant. I have been reading about Frida the last several days and Diego, too. From what I gather, from the onset of their marriage, Diego was quite busy with his murals leaving Frida rather alone in S. Francisco and bored. She began to act out at private parties which became part of her exotic schtick. I’m glad she found painting to occupy her. She was not cut out to be just Diego’s cute wife candy.
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the art of kahlo attracts thoughts of the viewer
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Thanks for visiting Lisa’s History Room. Do you have a favorite Kahlo painting?
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The value of the Internet is about articles like this one. Thanks for writing it.
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My pleasure.
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Fabulous-I am completely a Fridaphile! Not only was I impressed with the size of the Two Fridas but was equally impressed with the smallness of the retablos. Nice work Lisa….
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Glad you enjoyed this. I believe the Two Fridas and one other piece are the only 2 large paintings Kahlo did. Everything else was small.
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Fasinating! I love the detail of these historical stories. Great Blog!!!
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Thanks! Please keep coming back.
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Friends and I viewed the movie “Frida” (Salma Hayak) and it was quite a learning experience for us. Of course, I have known of Diego Rivera’s works and a bit of his personal life, but I did not know of his wife. After researching both of them, I find that the film was very accurate and the research helped me better understand this tragic woman. I find her work extremely depressing and sad. I am glad that the film did portray her courage beautifully. She endured so much, but her love for Rivera gave her hope. I was appalled by his life story and sexual obsession, but amazed by his talent. My friends and I agreed on the fact that the film was a work of art in itself. Having earned a Spanish major and art minor made me extremely receptive to experiencing Frida’s soul. I remember as a youth when I traveled to Mexico City with intent to study, I was totally unprepared to do it alone as a young, naive woman. Before returning home, I sketched a self-portrait and in it saw my fear, frustration, and failure. That memory made me understand Frida’s work and why she did so many self-portraits. Very therapeutic. In Frida’s case, we are fortunate to have her work, but so saddened by such a tragic life.
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Yes, Frida and Diego are very confusing people and interesting to study.
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[…] It included works by all the post-revolutionary Mexican greats, including one rather disturbing little gem by Miss Frida that I had not seen […]
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Forgive me for commenting on a topic from a few years ago, but as a Kahlo fan, I think it’s better late than never. I just wanted to share a link to the Los Angeles County Museum of Arts. Kahlo’s work is going to be featured in the special exhibit “In Wonderland” through May 2012 and there is a guest lecturer that will be speaking about The Suicide of Dorothy Hale. It should be interesting and I’m very excited to attend and see all of the works of art in person! http://www.lacma.org/event/dorothy-hale
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Hi Lisa, Did you know Frida Kahlo, gave a greate picture to Natalia Ivanova Sedova last wife of Leon Trostsky which measure is 180 x 100, signed by her on the left, front side (below) the picture. It was given to Natalia for her birthday after Trotsky was assessinated.
On the back appears a hand dedicatory ..”para Natalia con cariño.
Aquí me pinto yo Frida Kahlo,En Coyoacan D. F.
En el año de mil novecientos cuarenta y dos
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Marisela, this is new info for me. Thanks for contributing! Best, Lisa
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