Stand with us for women artists!

This Women’s History Month, stand up for women in the arts by becoming a NMWA member. You’ll be recognized on our 2025 Members’ List and receive outstanding perks to bring you closer to the art.

National Museum of Women in the Arts

Letter from an unidentified sender to Frida Kahlo, Sep 4, 1940

Handwritten letter on white stationery paper.
Creator
Unidentified
Recipient
Frida Kahlo
Language
English

Overview

This is a letter from an unidentified person who knew Frida Kahlo.

Original Document

Thumbnail Thumbnail Thumbnail Thumbnail Thumbnail

Transcription

Page 1 of 5 Transcription

Sept 4 – 40

[Personalized stationery]
116 East 66th Street

Frida dear — Your letter
has come — and I can’t
tell you how distressed
I am to read of all
you have been going
through — It is too
horrible — I am so
glad you are going
to San Francisco — today —

I heard that you
were going there some
little time ago — or

Page 2 of 5 Transcription

I would have written
you long before — I
didn’t want to send
a letter to Coyoacan
and have it wandering
around — Now don’t
pay any attention
to any thing else
except getting well
again — that is the
only thing that matters —
Forget about the money
I sent you — I don’t
want to be paid back —

Page 3 of 5 Transcription

except by your getting
entirely well —

I wish you had seen
Irene Bohus — You would
have liked her I think —
I can’t believe that
what you say about
her and Diego is true —
gossip rarely is — I had
a remarkable letter
from Diego about her —
and every thing in it
was directly opposed to
what you think — I
have always felt he loved

Page 4 of 5 Transcription

you only —

I am just back today
from a month on a ranch
in Montana — Unfortunately
I broke a leg after being
there ten days and had
to sit around in a cast
for two weeks — Then my
mother — who is eighty-seven —
was reported dying and
I hurried back to see her —
she is living on and may
for some little time — Such
helpless old age is pitiful —

Write as soon as you can
Frida dear — I send you
much love — [illegible]

Page 5 of 5 Transcription

[To:] Miss Frida Kahlo
c/o Dr Leo Eloesser
490 Post St
San Francisco
Cal —

[Postmark] Sep 4 1940, 8 PM, New [illegible]

[Postage] U.S. Postage 6 cents VIA AIR MAIL