Frida Kahlo self-portrait sells for $34.9M

It's yet another day of record-breaking sales in the art world as Frida Kahlo's self-portrait, Diego y yo, fetches $34.9 million at Sotheby's New York. This makes it the the most valuable Latin American artwork sold at an auction.

Diego y yo is 12 inches long and 8.8 inches wide and depicts Frida Kahlo with her hair loose and almost strangling her neck. There are three teardrops on her face and the face of Diego Rivera is on her forehead.

This is the second time that the painting has broken auction records, as it was already previously auctioned off in Sotheby's back in 1990 for $1.4 million. At the time, it was the first Latin American painting to sell for more than $1 million at an auction.

Before Diego y yo, the highest price a Frida Kahlo work has fetched at an auction was $8 million for Two Nudes in a Forest, which was sold back in 2016.

Frida Kahlo is just one of a number of fine art figures that have gone on to become part of mainstream pop culture. Aside from her immediately recognizable face being used in a number of products, her life story had also been adapted into the movie Frida, starring Salma Hayek. The movie ended up being nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Actress for Salma Hayek.

The past year has certainly been a record-breaking one when it comes to artwork. A couple of months ago, an anonymous buyer paid $25.4 million for the Banksy artwork Love is in the Bin. Before Love is in the Bin, the most that a Banksy artwork has fetched at an auction was $23.1 million for Game Changer.

If you're interested in checking out and buying art, why not start out with some pieces made by local celebrities? Check them out in the gallery below.