Post by : Rameen Ariff

In an incredible auction event in New York, Frida Kahlo's self-portrait sold for a stunning $54.66 million, marking it as the highest price ever paid for a painting by a female artist. The auction occurred at Sotheby’s on Thursday, with expectations ranging from $40 million to $60 million for the piece titled El Sueño (La Cama) or The Dream (The Bed). The buyer’s name has yet to be disclosed.

This 1940 painting depicts Kahlo reclining in a bed, seemingly adrift among clouds, while a skeleton draped in dynamite lies above. Merging elements of Mexican folklore with European surrealism, the artwork serves as a reflection of Kahlo’s tumultuous life, particularly her relationship with Diego Rivera.

Sotheby’s hailed the work as "the most valuable painting by a woman artist ever sold at auction," surpassing the former record set by Georgia O’Keeffe’s Jimson Weed/White Flower No. 1, which went for $44.4 million in 2014.

This auction was part of a remarkable series, following another milestone where Gustav Klimt’s Portrait of Elisabeth Lederer brought in $236.4 million, making it one of the highest-selling artworks ever. Leonardo da Vinci's Salvator Mundi still holds the record at $450 million since 2017.

Frida Kahlo, who passed away in 1954 at the age of 47, remains a powerful figure in art history, acclaimed for her vibrant self-portraits and distinctive artistic vision. The sale of The Dream (The Bed) is yet another testament to her enduring legacy and the rising recognition of female artistry in the international art market.

#Global