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A self-portrait by Frida Kahlo, titled "El sueño (La cama)," sold for $54.7 million at a Sotheby's auction in New York on Thursday (November 20), setting a new record for the most expensive artwork by a female artist ever sold at auction. The 1940 painting depicts Kahlo asleep in a bed with a skeleton above her, reflecting her exploration of mortality and the boundary between sleep and death.
The sale surpassed the previous record held by Georgia O'Keeffe's "Jimson Weed/White Flower No. 1," which sold for $44.4 million in 2014. The painting, which was part of a surrealist art auction, was expected to fetch between $40 and $60 million. Anna Di Stasi, Sotheby's head of Latin American art, described the work as "a rare and striking example of her most surrealist impulses," combining dream imagery with emotional intensity.
The identity of the buyer remains undisclosed, but the painting was consigned by the estate of Selma Ertegun. Kahlo's work continues to captivate audiences, with recent exhibitions dedicated to her art and influence. The painting is requested for upcoming exhibitions in New York, London, and Brussels, ensuring it remains in the public eye.
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