Florence Arquin, Frida Seated in Her Garden. Cibachrome, 14 x 11 inches. Offered by Throckmorton Fine Art.

Frida Kahlo, the enchanting Mexican painter best known for her magnificently surreal and poignant self-portraits, is the focus of a fascinating exhibition at Throckmorton Fine Art in New York. Mirror Mirror…Portraits of Frida Kahlo presents over fifty rare and vintage photographs of Kahlo by an array of the twentieth century’s leading photographers, including Lola Alvarez Bravo, Manuel Alvarez Bravo, Florence Arquin, Lucienne Bloch, Imogen Cunningham, Gisèle Freund, Hector Garcia, Bernice Kolko, Peter Juley, Dora Maar, Leo Matiz, Hermanos Mayo, Martin Munkacsi, Nickolas Muray, Carl van Vechten, Edward Weston, and others.

Nickolas Muray, Frida Kahlo With Chavela Vargas, 1945. Gelatin silver print, 3.25 x .625 inches.Offered by Throckmorton Fine Art.

Kahlo became acquainted with how she looked through a photographer’s lens at an early age thanks to her father, Guillermo Kahlo, who often took portraits of her. Later, Kahlo turned to  mirrors, which she relied on heavily while working on her self-portraits, to aid her self-exploration. According to Spencer Throckmorton, Owner of Throckmorton Fine Art, “[The title] Mirror Mirror... was chosen because Frida’s first portraits were self-portraits and she was always surrounded by mirrors. She was always looking at herself and painting.” While Kahlo’s paintings illustrate how the artist saw herself, the photographs on view at Throckmorton Fine Art provide a glimpse of how she was perceived by some of history’s most influential photographers. Revealing the exotic beauty, unconventional style, and captivating allure that drew photographers to her, these works come together to provide “an intimate portrait of Frida,” said Throckmorton.

Gisèle Freund, Frida in Garden, Casa Azul, (PP# 224), 1948. Gelatin silver print, vintage, 14 x 15.75 inches. Offered by Throckmorton Fine Art.

In addition to these photographs, which capture Kahlo kissing her husband Diego Rivera, feeding ducks at her vibrant home La Casa Azul in Coyoacán, Mexico, and working in her tranquil studio, Mirror Mirror… includes a rarely seen collection of Kahlo’s drawings, letters, memorabilia, and photographs gifted by Kahlo to Arcady Boytler, a cinematographer and close friend of Kahlo’s. Along with his wife, Boytler often visited with Kahlo, supported her work, and assisted with her substantial medical bills. Included in the Boytler collection is a vintage portrait of Kahlo with her fawn by Nickolas Muray and photographs by Graciela Iturbide taken after the sealed room at La Casa Azul was opened to the public. Throckmorton said, “I started collecting photographs of Kahlo in 1977. The ones that we selected for the exhibition are by photographers that were well known in their day and were friends with Frida. You really get a glimpse of [Frida] the artist. It’s a very personal thing. She comes across very strong in photographs and to include her work as well makes it a very exciting and special exhibition.”

The exhibition at Throckmorton Fine Art coincides with two events currently on view at the New York Botanical Garden -- Frida Kahlo: Art, Garden, Life, an exhibition of Kahlo’s paintings and works on paper that showcase her interest in botanica, and a re-creation of Kahlo’s stunning garden at La Casa Azul. Mirror Mirror...Portraits of Frida Kahlo will remain on view at Throckmorton Fine Art through September 12, 2015.