Frida Kahlo Overcame Pain with Paint

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After a trolley accident confined her to a body cast for three months, 19-year-old Frida Kahlo began to paint. She specialized in self-portraits, saying, "I paint myself because I am so often alone and because I am the subject I know best." Her stormy relationship with Diego Rivera became a constant source of drama in her life, though the two remained entangled despite their respective affairs.

The Life and Times of Frida Kahlo | PBS America

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Key Facts To Know

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1 A trolley accident left Frida Kahlo crippled at age 19, and she endured physical pain for the rest of her life. (00:31)
2 Frida Kahlo identified as bisexual, and had many men and women as lovers throughout her life. (00:51)
3 Frida Kahlo's paintings remained largely uncelebrated while she was alive. (01:28)