187:
255:), cramping, and nauseated, but also refusing to return to Dr. Pratt. By the night of 4 July, Kahlo was in severe pain and bleeding heavily. Rivera called for an ambulance on the morning of 5 July. In her diary, Bloch described Kahlo as being taken away by the doctor in "the agonies of birth...out of the pool of blood she had made...the huge clots of blood she kept losing."
42:
278:
that described her fetus and the human biology of pregnancy loss, but the doctors refused her request. Instead, Diego Rivera got her human anatomy textbooks. Obstetricians have described Kahlo's depictions of female anatomy and reproductive experiences as "strikingly accurate and incredibly detailed."
277:
In this surrealist self-portrait the artist lies in a floating hospital bed surrounded by blood and totems representing her experience and emotions. Foremost amongst these symbols is the fetus itself, centered and central. While she was still in the hospital, Kahlo asked for medical illustrations
206:
approximately a week prior. In the letter she itemized her doubts about her ability to deliver a healthy child, challenges with her schedule, her lack of family support, and Rivera's inability to parent. (Kahlo considered Rivera to be an infant of sorts, and painted him as such on at least one
281:
In the painting, Kahlo depicts herself naked, breasts and pubic hair exposed, openly weeping. She is tethered by red threads to a teaching model of female reproductive anatomy, a snail ("a private allusive reference"), a piece of steel-gray medical equipment (possibly an
258:
Per another letter from Kahlo to
Eloesser, the fetus "did not take form since it came out all disintegrated." This language suggests a non-viable pregnancy and subsequent decomposition. Kahlo remained in the hospital until 17 July. Whether the experience depicted in both
179:, which she was apparently concerned would be a genetic trait passed on to her children; she was plagued with chronic back pain and assorted infections; and by all accounts she desperately wanted to have a baby fathered by her husband, the muralist
1384:
235:
was possible and would solve the problems that she foresaw with her pregnancy. Kahlo had written Dr. Eloesser about her ambivalence, seeking his direction about whether or not to pursue a surgical abortion (presumably
231:. After approximately six days of mild spotting, she returned to Dr. Pratt. He told her she was still pregnant, that he thought she could and should stay pregnant, and that a
290:, an image that appears elsewhere in Kahlo's oeuvre. The fetus has male genitalia and translucent eyelids, and appears to be about 33 weeks gestation. The orchid, a lavender
1485:
451:
1336:
898:
145:
through visual art." The "bloody and terrifying" painting opened a defining and influential era of Kahlo's career. The painting's first title was
1045:
528:
842:
Lemmers, Marike; Verschoor, Marianne AC; Kim, Bobae
Veronica; Hickey, Martha; Vazquez, Juan C.; Mol, Ben Willem J.; Neilson, James P. (2019).
267:
263:
and a related untitled lithograph should be characterized as an abortion or a miscarriage remains a topic of contention in art scholarship.
244:). But after she sent the first letter, per Herrera, "Frida had decided against abortion, hoping against hope that Dr. Pratt was right."
344:
and Kahlo's other obstetric artworks. Kahlo's perspective on motherhood and femininity has also been examined in light of this painting.
324:
758:
730:
1109:
322:
is one of several Kahlo artworks that include simultaneously medically accurate and surrealist images of reproduction; her painting
1280:
167:
Frida Kahlo had a complicated obstetric/gynecological medical history. She survived a catastrophic traffic accident in which her
1214:
1021:
615:
986:
843:
605:
1569:
1410:
1312:
580:
504:
1231:
363:
141:
are rare in the canon of
Western painting, and Kahlo is "one of the only major artists to directly communicate her
1240:
704:
171:
had been broken and her vagina had been pierced by a metal bar. She likely had uterine scarring. She also had
1469:
1368:
1304:
251:, who was living with Rivera and Kahlo in Detroit, reported that by the end of June, Kahlo was spotting (
1574:
1296:
1207:
313:
298:
252:
1564:
1248:
804:
306:
241:
41:
1126:
286:), a purple orchid, and a human pelvis bone. The tether to the fetus lacks a bow and may be an
237:
1443:
1328:
358:
353:
294:, was a gift from Diego Rivera. This painting is the only image of an orchid in her artwork.
93:
672:
635:
1543:
1288:
1264:
1200:
1084:
899:""Abortion," "Miscarriage," or "Untitled"? A Frida Kahlo Lithograph's Complicated History"
575:. Frida Kahlo. Hanover, N.H.: University Press of New England. pp. 25 (Lost Desire).
220:
8:
216:
203:
172:
116:
194:
Kahlo was 24 years old at the time of her summer 1932 pregnancy. Per Kahlo's biographer
1520:
1477:
1178:
1039:
943:
868:
522:
427:
394:
337:
142:
297:
A horizon line cuts through the background of the painting, in the distance is Ford's
1450:
1434:
1385:
The Love
Embrace of the Universe, the Earth (Mexico), Myself, Diego, and Señor Xolotl
1352:
1344:
1272:
1139:
1131:
1027:
1017:
935:
873:
824:
766:
653:
648:
611:
586:
576:
510:
500:
432:
414:
232:
1502:
1494:
1402:
1360:
1170:
1121:
863:
859:
855:
816:
643:
422:
406:
368:
228:
1537:
820:
547:
1531:
1427:
1320:
490:
452:"Pregnancy Loss and Visual Expressions of Grief: An Examination of Frida Kahlo"
287:
248:
195:
1159:"Art Critics on Frida Kahlo: A Comparison of Feminist and Non-Feminist Voices"
1031:
410:
1558:
1418:
1135:
939:
770:
657:
418:
590:
1525:
1143:
1011:
877:
828:
805:"Frida Kahlo: Realistic Reproductive Images in the Early Twentieth Century"
677:
572:
Devouring Frida : the art history and popular celebrity of Frida Kahlo
514:
199:
180:
85:
30.5 cm × 38 cm (12.0 in × 15 in)
705:"Frida Kahlo's Diary: A Glimpse Inside Her Tortured, Scribble-Happy World"
436:
1376:
1223:
924:"Review of Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo in Detroit; Frida Kahlo's Garden"
570:
224:
138:
112:
52:
987:"Scientific, Sexual and Sentimental: What Frida Kahlo Saw in the Orchid"
961:
947:
923:
494:
202:
that she was two months pregnant and had first gone to see Dr. Pratt at
1182:
302:
208:
130:
97:
1158:
634:
Marcondes, Ciro Inácio; De Moraes, Vanessa
Daniele (25 August 2017).
283:
1174:
291:
212:
176:
134:
803:
Bernstein, Helene B.; Black, Charlene
Villaseñor (December 2008).
115:
about her experience of delivering a dead male fetus on 4 July at
119:
in
Detroit, Michigan, United States, when she was approximately 3
1060:
186:
168:
1192:
844:"Medical treatment for early fetal death (less than 24 weeks)"
1013:
Orchid muse : a history of obsession in fifteen flowers
268:
Timeline of human prenatal development § Weeks 13 to 16
301:. Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo had come to Detroit because
1110:"Pain and the Paintbrush: The Life and Art of Frida Kahlo"
841:
111:
is a 1932 oil-on-metal painting by the
Mexican artist
493:(1983). "Chapter 10. Detroit: Henry Ford Hospital".
759:"Review: 'Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo in Detroit'"
1487:Dream of a Sunday Afternoon in the Alameda Central
633:
1337:Self-Portrait with Thorn Necklace and Hummingbird
198:, on 26 May she wrote her friend and advisor Dr.
1556:
731:"Understanding Frida Kahlo's fertility problems"
603:
550:(November 2002). "Frida Kahlo. (cover story)".
499:. Harper & Row (First ed.). New York.
802:
638:[Images of maternity in Frida Kahlo].
1208:
673:"Frida Kahlo's last secret finally revealed"
636:"O imaginário da maternidade em Frida Kahlo"
223:, which together was a formula for inducing
395:"Medical imagery in the art of Frida Kahlo"
392:
1215:
1201:
1127:10.1001/virtualmentor.2013.15.5.imhl1-1305
1044:: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (
527:: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (
40:
1125:
1058:
1009:
984:
867:
647:
604:Kettenmann, Andrea; Kahlo, Frida (2003).
426:
670:
607:Frida Kahlo, 1907-1954: Pain and Passion
568:
185:
1281:Self-Portrait Dedicated to Leon Trotsky
848:Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
702:
546:
489:
393:Lomas, D.; Howell, R. (December 1989).
1557:
1156:
1107:
921:
896:
703:Collins, Amy Fine (4 September 2013).
1196:
798:
796:
794:
792:
790:
788:
786:
756:
752:
750:
728:
698:
696:
694:
542:
540:
538:
162:
985:Hannickel, Erica (6 December 2022).
629:
627:
485:
483:
481:
479:
477:
475:
473:
471:
449:
388:
386:
384:
1061:"Frida, A Life of Agony and Poetry"
1059:Yashinsky, Michael (1 March 2015).
897:Rogers, Lisa John (29 April 2015).
890:
722:
671:Espinoza, Javier (11 August 2007).
190:Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera ~ 1932
13:
783:
747:
691:
535:
14:
1586:
1412:Frida: A Biography of Frida Kahlo
664:
624:
496:Frida, a biography of Frida Kahlo
468:
381:
328:(1932) is another major example.
1157:Garber, Elizabeth (March 1992).
1089:Detroit Institute of Arts Museum
1016:(First ed.). New York, NY.
809:The American Journal of Medicine
649:10.19132/1807-8583201740.114-132
364:List of paintings by Frida Kahlo
207:occasion.) Dr. Pratt gave Kahlo
1241:Self-portrait in a Velvet Dress
1222:
1150:
1108:Antelo, Fernando (1 May 2013).
1101:
1077:
1052:
1003:
978:
954:
915:
835:
757:Smith, Roberta (3 April 2015).
129:months pregnant. Depictions of
860:10.1002/14651858.CD002253.pub4
729:Munoz, Gabriela (3 May 2012).
597:
569:Lindauer, Margaret A. (1999).
562:
443:
1:
1369:Self Portrait with Loose Hair
374:
340:has found value in examining
821:10.1016/j.amjmed.2008.09.003
642:(in Spanish) (40): 114–132.
331:
7:
1521:Frida Kahlo Home and Museum
1305:The Suicide of Dorothy Hale
962:"Frida and the Miscarriage"
399:BMJ (Clinical Research Ed.)
347:
16:1932 artwork by Frida Kahlo
10:
1591:
272:
265:
1513:
1462:
1395:
1297:Self-Portrait with Monkey
1230:
1085:"Detroit Industry Murals"
1010:Hannickel, Erica (2022).
922:Landau, Ellen G. (2016).
735:scienceillustrated.com.au
411:10.1136/bmj.299.6715.1584
314:Detroit Institute of Arts
175:symptoms; her father had
89:
81:
73:
58:
48:
39:
28:
23:
1570:Paintings by Frida Kahlo
253:early pregnancy bleeding
151:. An alternate title is
1249:Frieda and Diego Rivera
610:. Taschen. p. 37.
242:dilation and evacuation
1313:What the Water Gave Me
456:Academics (goshen.edu)
238:dilation and curettage
191:
1471:The History of Mexico
1329:Two Nudes in a Forest
1114:AMA Journal of Ethics
450:n.a. (28 July 2010).
359:Miscarriage and grief
354:Perinatal bereavement
305:had commissioned the
266:Further information:
189:
94:Dolores Olmedo Museum
1544:Museo Dolores Olmedo
1506:(2017 animated film)
1265:My Dress Hangs There
552:Smithsonian Magazine
217:uterine contractions
1257:Henry Ford Hospital
928:Woman's Art Journal
405:(6715): 1584–1587.
342:Henry Ford Hospital
320:Henry Ford Hospital
299:River Rouge complex
261:Henry Ford Hospital
204:Henry Ford Hospital
117:Henry Ford Hospital
108:Henry Ford Hospital
24:Henry Ford Hospital
1479:Pan American Unity
966:medhum.med.nyu.edu
763:The New York Times
338:medical humanities
233:Caesarean delivery
192:
163:Pregnancy and loss
143:reproductive grief
1552:
1551:
1396:Works about Kahlo
1353:The Broken Column
1345:The Wounded Table
1273:Memory, the Heart
1023:978-0-393-86728-2
815:(12): 1114–1116.
617:978-3-8228-5983-4
104:
103:
1582:
1575:Pregnancy in art
1495:Cradle Will Rock
1463:Other depictions
1431:(1993 biography)
1404:Frida Still Life
1361:The Wounded Deer
1217:
1210:
1203:
1194:
1193:
1187:
1186:
1154:
1148:
1147:
1129:
1105:
1099:
1098:
1096:
1095:
1081:
1075:
1074:
1072:
1071:
1065:The Metropolitan
1056:
1050:
1049:
1043:
1035:
1007:
1001:
1000:
998:
997:
982:
976:
975:
973:
972:
958:
952:
951:
919:
913:
912:
910:
909:
894:
888:
887:
885:
884:
871:
839:
833:
832:
800:
781:
780:
778:
777:
754:
745:
744:
742:
741:
726:
720:
719:
717:
716:
700:
689:
688:
686:
685:
668:
662:
661:
651:
631:
622:
621:
601:
595:
594:
566:
560:
559:
548:Tuchman, Phyllis
544:
533:
532:
526:
518:
487:
466:
465:
463:
462:
447:
441:
440:
430:
390:
369:Pregnancy in art
308:Detroit Industry
229:medical abortion
215:known to induce
128:
127:
123:
69:
67:
44:
21:
20:
1590:
1589:
1585:
1584:
1583:
1581:
1580:
1579:
1555:
1554:
1553:
1548:
1538:Guillermo Kahlo
1509:
1458:
1391:
1226:
1221:
1191:
1190:
1175:10.2307/3193324
1155:
1151:
1106:
1102:
1093:
1091:
1083:
1082:
1078:
1069:
1067:
1057:
1053:
1037:
1036:
1024:
1008:
1004:
995:
993:
983:
979:
970:
968:
960:
959:
955:
920:
916:
907:
905:
895:
891:
882:
880:
854:(6): CD002253.
840:
836:
801:
784:
775:
773:
755:
748:
739:
737:
727:
723:
714:
712:
701:
692:
683:
681:
669:
665:
632:
625:
618:
602:
598:
583:
567:
563:
545:
536:
520:
519:
507:
491:Herrera, Hayden
488:
469:
460:
458:
448:
444:
391:
382:
377:
350:
334:
275:
270:
165:
157:La Cama Volando
148:The Lost Desire
125:
121:
120:
65:
63:
30:The Lost Desire
17:
12:
11:
5:
1588:
1578:
1577:
1572:
1567:
1565:1932 paintings
1550:
1549:
1547:
1546:
1541:
1535:
1532:Cristina Kahlo
1529:
1523:
1517:
1515:
1511:
1510:
1508:
1507:
1499:
1491:
1483:
1475:
1466:
1464:
1460:
1459:
1457:
1456:
1448:
1440:
1432:
1428:Diego et Frida
1424:
1416:
1408:
1399:
1397:
1393:
1392:
1390:
1389:
1381:
1373:
1365:
1357:
1349:
1341:
1333:
1325:
1321:The Two Fridas
1317:
1309:
1301:
1293:
1285:
1277:
1269:
1261:
1253:
1245:
1236:
1234:
1228:
1227:
1220:
1219:
1212:
1205:
1197:
1189:
1188:
1149:
1120:(5): 460–465.
1100:
1076:
1051:
1022:
1002:
977:
953:
914:
889:
834:
782:
746:
721:
690:
663:
623:
616:
596:
581:
561:
534:
505:
467:
442:
379:
378:
376:
373:
372:
371:
366:
361:
356:
349:
346:
333:
330:
288:umbilical cord
274:
271:
249:Lucienne Bloch
196:Hayden Herrera
164:
161:
153:The Flying Bed
102:
101:
91:
87:
86:
83:
79:
78:
75:
71:
70:
60:
56:
55:
50:
46:
45:
37:
36:
34:The Flying Bed
26:
25:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1587:
1576:
1573:
1571:
1568:
1566:
1563:
1562:
1560:
1545:
1542:
1539:
1536:
1533:
1530:
1527:
1524:
1522:
1519:
1518:
1516:
1512:
1505:
1504:
1500:
1497:
1496:
1492:
1489:
1488:
1484:
1481:
1480:
1476:
1473:
1472:
1468:
1467:
1465:
1461:
1454:
1453:
1449:
1447:(2016 ballet)
1446:
1445:
1441:
1438:
1437:
1433:
1430:
1429:
1425:
1422:
1421:
1417:
1414:
1413:
1409:
1406:
1405:
1401:
1400:
1398:
1394:
1387:
1386:
1382:
1379:
1378:
1374:
1371:
1370:
1366:
1363:
1362:
1358:
1355:
1354:
1350:
1347:
1346:
1342:
1339:
1338:
1334:
1331:
1330:
1326:
1323:
1322:
1318:
1315:
1314:
1310:
1307:
1306:
1302:
1299:
1298:
1294:
1291:
1290:
1286:
1283:
1282:
1278:
1275:
1274:
1270:
1267:
1266:
1262:
1259:
1258:
1254:
1251:
1250:
1246:
1243:
1242:
1238:
1237:
1235:
1233:
1229:
1225:
1218:
1213:
1211:
1206:
1204:
1199:
1198:
1195:
1184:
1180:
1176:
1172:
1168:
1164:
1163:Art Education
1160:
1153:
1145:
1141:
1137:
1133:
1128:
1123:
1119:
1115:
1111:
1104:
1090:
1086:
1080:
1066:
1062:
1055:
1047:
1041:
1033:
1029:
1025:
1019:
1015:
1014:
1006:
992:
988:
981:
967:
963:
957:
949:
945:
941:
937:
933:
929:
925:
918:
904:
903:Hyperallergic
900:
893:
879:
875:
870:
865:
861:
857:
853:
849:
845:
838:
830:
826:
822:
818:
814:
810:
806:
799:
797:
795:
793:
791:
789:
787:
772:
768:
764:
760:
753:
751:
736:
732:
725:
710:
706:
699:
697:
695:
680:
679:
674:
667:
659:
655:
650:
645:
641:
637:
630:
628:
619:
613:
609:
608:
600:
592:
588:
584:
582:0-585-37092-3
578:
574:
573:
565:
557:
553:
549:
543:
541:
539:
530:
524:
516:
512:
508:
506:0-06-011843-1
502:
498:
497:
492:
486:
484:
482:
480:
478:
476:
474:
472:
457:
453:
446:
438:
434:
429:
424:
420:
416:
412:
408:
404:
400:
396:
389:
387:
385:
380:
370:
367:
365:
362:
360:
357:
355:
352:
351:
345:
343:
339:
336:The field of
329:
327:
326:
321:
317:
315:
311:
309:
304:
300:
295:
293:
289:
285:
279:
269:
264:
262:
256:
254:
250:
245:
243:
239:
234:
230:
226:
222:
218:
214:
210:
205:
201:
197:
188:
184:
182:
178:
174:
170:
160:
158:
154:
150:
149:
144:
140:
136:
132:
118:
114:
110:
109:
100:, Mexico City
99:
95:
92:
88:
84:
80:
76:
72:
61:
57:
54:
51:
47:
43:
38:
35:
31:
27:
22:
19:
1526:Diego Rivera
1501:
1493:
1490:(1947 mural)
1486:
1482:(1940 mural)
1478:
1474:(1935 mural)
1470:
1451:
1444:Broken Wings
1442:
1435:
1426:
1423:(1991 opera)
1419:
1411:
1403:
1383:
1375:
1367:
1359:
1351:
1343:
1335:
1327:
1319:
1311:
1303:
1295:
1287:
1279:
1271:
1263:
1256:
1255:
1247:
1239:
1169:(2): 42–48.
1166:
1162:
1152:
1117:
1113:
1103:
1092:. Retrieved
1088:
1079:
1068:. Retrieved
1064:
1054:
1012:
1005:
994:. Retrieved
991:Literary Hub
990:
980:
969:. Retrieved
965:
956:
934:(1): 56–58.
931:
927:
917:
906:. Retrieved
902:
892:
881:. Retrieved
851:
847:
837:
812:
808:
774:. Retrieved
762:
738:. Retrieved
734:
724:
713:. Retrieved
711:. Condé Nast
708:
682:. Retrieved
678:The Guardian
676:
666:
639:
606:
599:
571:
564:
555:
551:
495:
459:. Retrieved
455:
445:
402:
398:
341:
335:
323:
319:
318:
307:
296:
280:
276:
260:
257:
246:
200:Leo Eloesser
193:
181:Diego Rivera
166:
156:
152:
147:
146:
107:
106:
105:
77:Oil on metal
33:
29:
18:
1498:(1999 film)
1455:(2024 film)
1439:(2002 film)
1407:(1983 film)
1377:Diego and I
1224:Frida Kahlo
709:Vanity Fair
247:The artist
225:miscarriage
139:miscarriage
113:Frida Kahlo
53:Frida Kahlo
1559:Categories
1094:2023-04-11
1070:2023-04-11
1032:1294284084
996:2023-04-11
971:2023-04-11
908:2023-04-10
883:2023-04-11
776:2023-04-11
740:2023-04-10
715:2023-04-10
684:2023-04-10
461:2023-04-11
375:References
303:Edsel Ford
227:, i.e., a
209:castor oil
173:post-polio
131:childbirth
98:Xochimilco
82:Dimensions
1528:(husband)
1289:The Frame
1232:Paintings
1136:2376-6980
1040:cite book
940:0270-7993
771:0362-4331
658:1807-8583
523:cite book
419:0959-8138
332:Influence
284:autoclave
213:purgative
1540:(father)
1534:(sister)
1144:23680570
948:26452058
878:31206170
829:19028209
591:48140053
558:(8): 50.
348:See also
325:My Birth
312:for the
292:cattleya
177:epilepsy
135:abortion
90:Location
1514:Related
1183:3193324
869:6574399
640:Intexto
515:8281462
437:2514924
428:1838787
273:Picture
221:quinine
124:⁄
64: (
1415:(1983)
1388:(1949)
1380:(1949)
1372:(1947)
1364:(1946)
1356:(1944)
1348:(1940)
1340:(1940)
1332:(1939)
1324:(1939)
1316:(1938)
1308:(1938)
1300:(1938)
1292:(1938)
1284:(1937)
1276:(1937)
1268:(1933)
1260:(1932)
1252:(1931)
1244:(1926)
1181:
1142:
1134:
1030:
1020:
946:
938:
876:
866:
827:
769:
656:
614:
589:
579:
513:
503:
435:
425:
417:
310:murals
219:) and
169:pelvis
74:Medium
49:Artist
1452:Frida
1436:Frida
1420:Frida
1179:JSTOR
944:JSTOR
137:, or
1503:Coco
1140:PMID
1132:ISSN
1046:link
1028:OCLC
1018:ISBN
936:ISSN
874:PMID
852:2019
825:PMID
767:ISSN
654:ISSN
612:ISBN
587:OCLC
577:ISBN
529:link
511:OCLC
501:ISBN
433:PMID
415:ISSN
66:1932
62:1932
59:Year
1171:doi
1122:doi
864:PMC
856:doi
817:doi
813:121
644:doi
423:PMC
407:doi
403:299
240:or
211:(a
183:.
159:).
1561::
1177:.
1167:45
1165:.
1161:.
1138:.
1130:.
1118:15
1116:.
1112:.
1087:.
1063:.
1042:}}
1038:{{
1026:.
989:.
964:.
942:.
932:37
930:.
926:.
901:.
872:.
862:.
850:.
846:.
823:.
811:.
807:.
785:^
765:.
761:.
749:^
733:.
707:.
693:^
675:.
652:.
626:^
585:.
556:33
554:.
537:^
525:}}
521:{{
509:.
470:^
454:.
431:.
421:.
413:.
401:.
397:.
383:^
316:.
133:,
96:,
32:,
1216:e
1209:t
1202:v
1185:.
1173::
1146:.
1124::
1097:.
1073:.
1048:)
1034:.
999:.
974:.
950:.
911:.
886:.
858::
831:.
819::
779:.
743:.
718:.
687:.
660:.
646::
620:.
593:.
531:)
517:.
464:.
439:.
409::
155:(
126:2
122:1
68:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
