Auction gem: most expensive female artwork ever

The self-portrait El sueño (1940), painted by Frida Kahlo during a turbulent period of her life, sold at Sotheby's New York auction, setting a new record for a work by a female artist.

The self-portrait, The dream (1940), which Frida Kahlo painted during a turbulent period in her life, was auctioned off for nearly $55 million (approximately €50,5 million). This made the enigmatic canvas a historic record: the most expensive artwork ever made by a woman. Kahlo created relatively few works, but many of them are in museums and rarely come on the market. The previous record, held by Georgia O'Keeffe since 2014, reached $44,4 million for Jimson Weed.

The work, which depicts Kahlo sleeping in a bed, refers to her ongoing fascination with the boundary between sleep and death. The record price not only highlights the power of her work but also the growing recognition for female artists within the art world.

Curious where the painting is currently on display? The buyer remains anonymous, so the work remains hidden for now.