College of DuPage (COD) Art History Professor David Ouellette explores the dominating theme of animals in Kahlo’s work. Kahlo was known for her love of animals, giving a home to many at the Casa Azul, and they also took on symbolic meaning in her paintings.

The animal subject features prominently in several self-portraits produced by Frida Kahlo between 1937 and 1946. Considering these works, including 1945’s “Self-portrait with Changuito” on display as part of the Frida Kahlo: Timeless exhibition, alongside Marx’s theory of species-being (gattungswesen), reveals how animals were both companions and important markers of identity for the artist.