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Frida Kahlo’s “The Dream (The Room)” Sells for $54.66 Million, Setting New Record for a Work by a Woman
NEW YORK – A self-portrait by Mexican artist Frida Kahlo has become the most expensive painting ever sold at public auction by a woman, fetching $54.66 million at Sotheby’s in New York on Thursday, November 20. The 1940 work, titled “The Dream (The Room),” surpasses the previous record of $44.4 million set by Georgia O’Keeffe’s painting in 2014.
The sale underscores Kahlo’s enduring appeal to both art enthusiasts and collectors, solidifying her position as a leading figure in 20th-century art.The record-breaking price reflects a growing recognition of Kahlo’s unique artistic vision and the cultural importance of her work, which frequently enough explores themes of identity, the human body, and postcolonialism. The identity of the buyer has not been disclosed.
Sotheby’s described the painting as created during a “crucial decade” in Kahlo’s career,marked by her complex relationship with fellow artist Diego Rivera. The artwork depicts Kahlo asleep in a floating bed beneath a large skeleton, with dynamite sticks surrounding its legs.
“She merges folkloric motifs from Mexican culture with European surrealism,” explained Anna Di Stasi, head of Latin American art at Sotheby’s, to AFP, characterizing the painting as a “very personal” image.
