Frida Kahlo " De Diego" 1931 Watercolor

During Diego Rivera's 1931 exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, Frida Kahlo painted watercolors of New York scenery to amuse herself until winter set in and then she complained continuously to Diego that she wanted to go home to Mexico and that they should go home together.

Diego ignored her demands since he was selling his paintings in New York as fast as he could finish them. They were the stars of the New York art scene and in huge demand. Diego sold his paintings for $2,500 each which was an enormous sum during the depression.

Frida on the other hand was suffering in the freezing cold of New York stating that "Why would anyone want to live in New York when they could live in Mexico."

Persistently Frida demanded every day for an entire month that they return home. The weather played havoc with her physical impairment. Her spine tortured her with excruciating pain that she knew could only be relieved in Mexico's warm climate.

At the end of the month Frida presented Diego with this painting of their home in Mexico and hung it on the wall of their hotel room as a reminder of her demands.

The watercolor depicts their home in Mexico. The upstairs room with the blue door is Diego's studio. The room with the red door is Frida's room, with a balcony between them.

Ove Hoffman was the promoter for Diego Rivera and helped to finance the expedition to New York. The original Ove Hoffman Hyde Park Art Shop label is on the reverse of the painting.

The title "De Diego" was Frida's way of addressing Diego, as "The Diego".

Frida's signature is also apparent on this watercolor. It is the symbolic tree on the left with a bent or twisted trunk. Diego called her "My Twisted Tree", and that is how she signed this painting.

Painted on the highest quality imported artist paper and presented to Diego Rivera in this original studio frame with the original dust cover in 1931.

A very rare and important artwork for an advanced collector, measures 24-1/2" by 18-1/2" framed.

For comparison see Frida's New York watercolors from 1931, specifically "Central Park" and others painted in exactly the same style on the same paper and framed in the same way.

Item ID: 1171