Frida Kahlo painting, unseen for 60 years, surfaces for sale

“Nina con Collar,” (Girl with Necklace), a 1929 oil on canvas, will go on the auction block on Nov. 22 at Sotheby’s Latin American sale with an estimated value of $1.5 million to $2 million.

“This hung in a California home for 60 years,” said Axel Stein, head of Latin American art at Sotheby’s. “The painting looks very fresh. It was in a dark part of the house so the colors are vibrant.”

Kahlo died at age 47 in 1954. The following year, her widower, the muralist Diego Rivera, gave the painting to a woman who had helped Kahlo in the studio, Stein said.

The recipient took the work home to California. Now in her mid-90s, she offered it to Sotheby’s this summer, he said.

The auction house declined to comment on why the owner sought to sell the piece.

“Nina con Collar” is among the first 20 of Kahlo’s 143 paintings, Stein said. It prefigures hallmarks of the artist’s self-portraits, including winged eyebrows and the full frontal gaze.

The subject, a girl of about 13 or 14, stares directly at the viewer. “There is a sense of warmth and closeness,” Stein said.

As in some Kahlo self-portraits, there is little depth. The background is a mix of indigo and sky-blue; the face of the girl is copper-brown. She wears a jade necklace that appears in other paintings by the artist.

In international art markets, works by Kahlo have fetched more than any other Latin American artist, said Stein.

Last May, Christie’s sold a 1939 Kahlo painting for $8 million, an auction record for her work.

Sotheby’s has privately sold individual Kahlo works for more than $15 million each, said Dan Abernethy, an auction house spokesman.

One reason Kahlo works are so valued in the international market is that Mexico for several decades has barred their export to conserve the country’s cultural heritage under national patrimony laws, Stein said.

(Reporting by Walker Simon; Editing by Daniel Wallis and Dan Grebler)

"Nina con Collar," (Girl with Necklace), a 1929 oil on canvas, will go on the auction block on Nov. 22 at Sotheby's Latin American . . .

Follow Us On Google News | Get Our Newsletter



Trending News on PVDN

  • protests3Mexico City Protests: There is a fine line between anti-gentrification and xenophobia The line between anti-gentrification and racism is clear if you choose to see it: genuine activism targets policy and practice, not nationality or ethnicity. I have lived in Mexico for two decades, and I have never witnessed the level of anti-American sentiment that exists today. All of it is tied to the buzzword "gentrification," a…
  • puerto vallarta lettersPuerto Vallarta needs a new image to create meaningful reasons for travelers to visit Business leaders at Jalisco Tourism Secretariat forums stressed the need for renewing Puerto Vallarta image and diversifying attractions to appeal to national and international markets. Local business leaders and tourism specialists agreed this week that Puerto Vallarta needs a fresh look and a broader range of attractions to compete at home and abroad. In a…
  • puerto-vallarta-police-chase-bahia-de-banderasPuerto Vallarta police chase ends in deadly collision in Bahía de Banderas A Puerto Vallarta police chase along Highway 200 ended in a deadly collision in Bahía de Banderas, leaving two people dead. A high-speed chase that began in Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, and ended in Bahía de Banderas, Nayarit, left at least two people dead and raised new questions about police engagement and road safety in the…
  • Where do foreigners come from and where do they live in MexicoMexico City Protest on July 5 Challenges Gentrification and Airbnb’s Impact on Housing Residents of Roma and Condesa will gather at Parque México on July 5 to protest gentrification, rising rents, and Airbnb’s effect on local housing. This Saturday, July 5, Mexico City will witness its first organized citizen protest against gentrification—a peaceful but urgent gathering taking place at 3:30 p.m. at the Lindbergh Forum in Parque México,…
  • puerto-vallarta-rainfall-hurricane-flossie-july-2025Puerto Vallarta braces for torrential rains as Hurricane Flossie gains strength Puerto Vallarta faces a high risk of flooding as Hurricane Flossie intensifies in the Pacific. Torrential rains and overwhelmed drainage systems pose major challenges for the city. Puerto Vallarta, a city wedged between the Sierra Madre mountains and the Pacific Ocean, is no stranger to dramatic weather shifts—but this summer, the skies are testing the…
  • protestProtest graffiti and smashed windows mars anti-gentrification rally in Mexico City Residents and activists joined an anti-gentrification rally in Mexico Park, but the anti-gentrification rally Mexico Park turned destructive as masked youths defaced local shops and broke windows. A rally against gentrification held yesterday in Mexico City’s Parque México drew residents from Juárez, Roma, Condesa and Hipódromo alongside local activists. Organizers billed it as the city’s…
  • Body with signs of crocodile attack found in Ameca River, a leg was found last monthPurple Flag Warns Beachgoers after Crocodile at Los Muertos Beach Authorities raised a purple flag after a crocodile at Los Muertos Beach was spotted swimming near shore, advising visitors to avoid entering the water until safety checks ended. Local authorities recorded a crocodile swimming in the vicinity of Los Muertos Beach, one of Puerto Vallarta’s busiest tourist spots. Lifeguards spotted the reptile in shallow water…
  • mexico city real estateGentrification in Mexico City is not the reason for the high cost of housing City housing shortage, not gentrification, drives prices skyward as planning lags behind demand and foreigner influence remains minimal. High real estate costs in Mexico City stem from a deep and persistent housing shortage—exacerbated by land constraints, tangled regulations and speculative investment—rather than by the presence of foreign residents. Despite headlines blaming “gentrification,” foreign-born residents make…
  • puerto vallarta loses three blue flag beachesPuerto Vallarta retains four Blue Flag Beaches, down from eight Puerto Vallarta will enter the 2025–2026 season with four international Blue Flag distinctions in Puerto Vallarta, even after tourism-driven environmental damage cost it half of its previous honors. The Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) in Mexico confirmed that three resort flags will be revalidated at Marriott Puerto Vallarta Resort & Spa, The Westin Resort &…
  • cancun-beaches-50-tons-sargassum-cleanupSargassum in Quintana Roo Hits 76 Beaches from Cancun to Tulum, Only 24 Clean Beaches Sargassum in Quintana Roo has reached moderate to excessive levels on 76 beaches—including Cancun—as cleanup crews race to protect tourism and coastal ecosystems. A recent survey from the Quintana Roo Sargassum Monitoring Network and the Sargassum Citizen Observatory shows 76 out of 100 beaches on the state’s Caribbean coast now face moderate to excessive seaweed…
Scroll to Top