Still Life with Parrot and Fruit

1951

Kahlo produced several Still Life paintings like this one in the last years of her life because she said "it was easier" than painting self-portraits. Also, she hoped that they would sell quickly so she would be able to help Diego pay the cost of her medical expenses.

In this painting the colors are still very vivid and the detail precise. In the following years, her heavy dependency on pain killers dramatically changed the quality and focus of her work.

When Frida finished this painting she immediately sent it to the gallery to be sold, but when Nickolas Muray and his family came to visit her she pulled it out of the gallery and gave it to them as a gift.

Oil on canvas
óleo sobre lienzo

25,4 x 29,7 cm.
10" x 11"

Harry Ransom Humanities
Research Center Art Collection,
The University of Texas
Austin, Texas, U.S.A.

Photograph of Painting by
Nickolas Muray
Fotografía de Pintura por
Nickolas Muray

Kahlo pintó varias naturalezas muertas como esta durante los últimos años de su vida, porque dijo que "era más fácil" que pintar autorretratos. También, esperaba que se vendieran rápidamente para que pudiera ayudar a Diego a pagar el coste de sus gastos médicos.

En esta pintura, los colores aun se ven muy vívidos y el detalle preciso. Durante los siguientes años, su fuerte dependencia de analgésicos dramáticamente cambiaron la calidad y foco de su trabajo.

Cuando Frida acabó esta pintura inmediatamente la envío a la galería para ser vendida, pero cuando Nickolas Muray y su familia vinieron a visitarla, la sacó de la galería y se la dio a ellos como un regalo.