Frida Kahlo has empowered generations of feminists with her provocative artwork about her disability following a terrible accident, her sexual freedom, her contemplations on motherhood and her Mexican heritage. Incorporating excerpts from her letters and diaries, this new book, Library of Luminaries: Frida Kahlo: An Illustrated Biography (Chronicle Books) tells the artist’s story, from her early dreams to become a doctor and her relationship with Diego Rivera to how she developed her wonderfully eclectic wardrobe. All of these lovely illustrations were done by Nina Cosford and the text handwritten by Zena Alkayat. Want a sneak peak of this lovely book? We’ve chosen some of our favorite drawings just for you!
“Frida continued to dress in traditional costume inspired by matriarchal Tehuana women from South Mexico. She carefully assembled her outfits each day, wearing ruffled skirts and embroidered tops. It was always a dazzling ensemble.”
“Frida worked consistently in the 1940s, producing some of her best work. Her star was on the rise. She took part in several group shows and in 1943 she was invited to teach at La Esmeralda School of Painting and Sculpture
“I paint myself because I am so often alone, because I am the subject I know best.” – Frida Kahlo
“To distract herself, Frida borrowed paints from her father, and her mother hand an easel made so she could paint laying down.”
“Frida loved wearing her hair in braids are unusual styles, dressed with flowers and combs.”
“Frida married Diego on August 21, 1929. She was twenty-two, he was forty-two. She looked like a bright, beautiful bird next to the rotund, unattractive Diego. She nicknamed him ‘frog-toad.'”
“Frida loved to overlay her outfits with beads, lace ribbons, and jewelry and to decorate her hands with myriad rings and bangles. She also wore two sets of teeth — a gold pair and a pair studded with diamonds.”
“At six, Frida fell ill with polio. She was confined to her room for 9 months and her right leg withered. To help her gain strength, her father encouraged her to take up sports that were usually reserved for boys.”
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