Self-Portrait with Cropped Hair (Autorretrato con pelo corto)
Painting on canvas • Frida Kahlo
Style & Movement
Surrealism / Mexican Modernism / Naive Art (Primitivism)
Medium & Technique
Oil on canvas, utilizing precise brushwork, text integration, and architectural composition with flat planes of color.
Creation Period
1940
Dimensions & Format
40 x 27.9 cm (15 3/4 x 11 inches); Portrait format
Subject Description
A self-portrait of Frida Kahlo sitting on a yellow chair, dressed in an oversized men's suit. She has cut off her long hair, which is seen scattered across the floor and clinging to the chair. She holds scissors in her hand. At the top, lyrics from a Mexican folksong are written: 'Look, if I loved you it was because of your hair. Now that you are without hair, I don't love you anymore.' It symbolizes her independence following her divorce from Diego Rivera.
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Assessment
Excellent. The work is professionally maintained as part of a major museum collection.
Estimated Market Value
$50 million - $100 million+ (Based on recent record-breaking sales of Kahlo's works like 'Diego y yo')
Auction Estimate
$40 million - $70 million (Hypothetical, as the work is museum-owned)
Provenance History
Purchased by the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) from the artist through Edgar Kaufmann, Jr. in 1940. It has remained in MoMA's collection since.
Art Historical Significance
One of Kahlo's most significant works, marking a pivotal moment of self-invention. It challenges traditional gender roles and explores the pain of heartbreak and the reassertion of personal identity through the rejection of feminine external attributes.
Notable Features
Includes musical notation and hand-lettered lyrics. The juxtaposition of the masculine suit (likely belonging to Diego Rivera) against her delicate features is a hallmark of her psychological exploration.
Condition Issues
None visible. Minor age-appropriate craquelure might exist upon close micro-inspection typical of oil on canvas from this era.
Conservation Recommendations
Maintain in a climate-controlled environment with 50% humidity and 70°F. Low UV-filtered lighting (maximum 50 lux). Professional periodic inspection by painting conservators.