FRIDA KAHLO AND BEETHOVEN

Frida Kahlo and Beethoven

Frida Kahlo and Beethoven

Frida Kahlo was born Magdalena Carmen Frieda Kahlo y Calderon on July 6, 1907, in her parents' house in Coyoacan, Mexico a suburb of Mexico City. She was born to Guillermo Kahlo and Matilde Calderon. Her father, Guillermo, was the son of Hungarian Jews from the German town of Baden-Baden. He emigrated to Mexico where he became a well known photographer. It was there he also married Frida's mother, Matilde, who was a Mexican of Indian and Spanish ancestry. Guillermo built a home for his family, which became known as Casa Azul, just a few years before Frida's birth. Frida also had a younger sister, Christina.

Both parents had a large impact on Frida's life. Matilde was a devout Christian, but sometimes to rigid, causing some distance between herself and her daughters. Guillermo on the other hand, encouraged education and independence for his daughters.

At the age of seven, Frida became afflicted with polio. This caused the stunt of growth in her right leg, and also caused her right foot to turn outward. However, she recovered remarkably due in part to her father's nurturing and encouragement. In fact, when Frida did recover, he strongly encouraged her to participate in many sports, which was not typical of Mexican girls at the time.

Although she recovered from polio, her illness temporarily held her back in school. In 1922 she lied about her age, and entered the National Preparatory School. Since then, Frida gave her birth date as 1910. Many believe that this date was symbolic of her strong pride and love of her country, as 1910 was the year the Mexican Revolution began. This pride would be apparent her entire life as she stuck by her strong political and cultural beliefs and traditions. This pride is apparent her entire life as she shows her love for her country through her behaviors, her dress, and lifestyle.

It was at the National Preparatory school that Frida first met her future husband, and well-known artists Diego Rivera. Rivera was commissioned to do a mural at the school when Frida saw him and announced to others that one day she would marry him.

Frida never did manage to finish school due to a very tragic accident. One day in 1925, on her way home from school, Frida was riding a trolley car when it collided with an automobile. The accident caused a metal rod to penetrate and injure her pelvic area. She also sustained injuries to her collar bone, spine, foot, shoulder and ribs. The accident left Frida lying flat on her back, and in an entire body cast for over a year. It was during her time recovering from the trolley accident that Frida began painting.

While Frida was confined to her bed, her mother decided to bring her an easel and some paint to relieve Frida from her boredom. When she recovered from the accident she continued to focus on her art and began to be acquainted with the art circles in ...