Today’s International Herald Tribune and the New York Times 28 September edition had a very interesting story about the recent publication of a collection of artworks supposedly by Frida Kahlo. An art and antiques dealer in San Miguel Allende acquired several trunks and cases containing more than 1,200 artifacts and artworks from a Mexico City lawyer. The lawyer had obtained them from a woodcarver and picture framer who had worked for Frida Kahlo. The woodcarver supposedly had received the materials directly from Kahlo herself.
Quite a zigzagging path!
In addition to sketches and paintings, the collection includes clothing, jewelry, letters and diaries. It also includes a stuffed hummingbird, similar to one that Kahlo wore as a pendant in one of her self-portraits. The objects were authenticated after personal examination by both Diego Rivera’s late granddaughter and by three of Kahlo’s private students in the 1940s. However, the archive has been denounced by all other experts associated with the Kahlo-verse, even though none of these people have actually seen the materials in question.
Curioser and curioser.
The opposition has pressed suit against the antiques dealer and Princeton Architectural Press, seeking to stop publication of the book, “Finding Frida Kahlo”, which will be released 1 November.
