Self Portrait with the Portrait of Doctor Farill, 1951 - by Frida Kahlo

This painting is Frida's last signed self-portrait. In this portrait, she painted herself with her surgeon Doctor Juan Farill.

Dr. Farill performed 7 surgeries on Frida's spine in the year of 1951. She had to stay in the hospital in Mexico City for 9 months. In November of 1951, she finally recovered and was able to paint again. The first painting she painted was this self-portrait and she dedicated this painting to Dr. Farill. She wrote in her diary: "I was sick for a year....seven operations on my spine.Dr. Farill saved me. " She painted this portrait in a "ex-voto (retablo)" due to the fact she credited Dr. Farill for saving her life. In this portrait, she was sitting in a wheelchair, hold her heart palette in one hand, and brushes in another. It implied she was painting using her own blood from her heart.

Frida may resemble Francisco Goya to paint this portrait. Goya painted a 'retablo style" self-portrait called "Goya Attended by Doctor Arrieta". In that painting, Goya included an inscription to thank the doctor for saving his life.