Self Portrait with Loose Hair, 1947 by Frida Kahlo

In 1946, Frida's health got worse and she made a trip to New York for a spinal fusion surgery. This operation was called "the beginning of the end" by Frida Kahlo since after this operation, her condition has been getting worse and worse even she consulted so many doctors and specialists. This self-portrait was painted while she was recovering from this surgery. Frida looks thin and exhausted in this painting. The legend on the scroll at the bottom of this painting reads:

Here I painted myself, Frida Kahlo, with my reflection in the mirror. I am 37 years old and this is July, 1947. In Coyoacan, Mexico, the place where I was born".

She stated herself as "37 years old" in the inscription but her real age was 40 at the time this portrait was painted.

In this painting, Frida depicted herslef with a large volume of loose hair. It probably because she wants to please Diego Rivera since he is obsessed with her long hair.

This painting was auctioned by Christie's, New York, in May of 1991. It was sold for a wowing price of $1,650,000.

In the 2003 Miramax Film "FRIDA", actress Salma Hayek played the role of Frida. Salma herself is an amateur artist and painted her own version of this portrait during the time she was shooting this film.