''Self Portrait with Loose Hair'' ( es, Autorretrato con el pelo suelto), also known as ''Self Portrait with Unbound Hair'', is a 1947 oil-on-masonite painting by

Mexican Mexican may refer to: Mexico and its culture *Being related to, from, or connected to the country of Mexico, in North America ** People *** Mexicans, inhabitants of the country Mexico and their descendants *** Mexica, ancient indigenous people ...

artist

Frida Kahlo Magdalena Carmen Frida Kahlo y Calderón (; 6 July 1907 – 13 July 1954) was a Mexican painter known for her many portraits, self-portraits, and works inspired by the nature and artifacts of Mexico. Inspired by the country's popular culture, ...

Description

In a 2012 exploration of hair as an indicator of indigenous feminine identity, ''Self Portrait with Loose Hair'' is described as: :"In this ''autorretrato'' (self-portrait), Kahlo paints a bust of herself with her dark hair untied and cascading over her shoulder. The thick texture of her hair consumes the right portion of the image. She is wearing traditional Mexican attire. The background appears to be representative of gray stone, and a green leaf is placed near her head. At the bottom of the image, a tattered scroll spans the width of the composition and reveals loosely painted text." The text on the picture reads, "Here I painted myself, Frida Kahlo, with my reflection in the mirror. I am 37 years old and this is July, 1947. In Coyoacán,

Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...

, the place where I was born." Kahlo was 40 years old at the time.

Interpretation

Academic Sharyn Rohlfsen Udall argued that Kahlo "reveled in nonconformity and disobedience to societal norms" and that, in painting this picture, "she may have been connecting with that formidable prototype."

History

Feminist activist, art collector and philanthropist

Louise Noun Louise Frankel Rosenfield Noun (March 7, 1908 – August 23, 2002) was a feminist, social activist, philanthropist, and civil libertarian. An Iowa native, Noun wrote extensively on the history of feminism in Iowa and the United States, writing ...

owned the painting until 1991, when it was sold at auction to a private party, creating a $1.5 million endowment for the Iowa Women's Archives in the process. The total auction price of $1.65 million set a record for Latin American art.

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