That darn Frida!

'The Suicide of Dorothy Hale' - Frida Kahlo, 1939

"Clare Booth Luce ordered a portrait of her friend Dorothy Hail who had recently committed suicide by jumping off a skyscraper. Unfortunately, Frida misunderstood the request and painted a two-part re-enactment of the death. 'The Suicide of Dorothy Hale' shows Hale in mid-flight through swirling clouds down the side of the building and also sprawled on the blood-soaked ground. Blood also splatters the base of the frame and the retablo banner across the bottom of the work that describes the scene is written in red."

"All Luce wanted was a memorial portrait to present to her friend's mother. After her first viewing, Luce never laid eyes on the painting again..." - Gerry Souter, 'Beneath the Mirror'