Kahlo’s magical realist portraits and landscapes were heavily influenced by Mexican popular culture, folk art and European Renaissance paintings, exploring themes of feminism, postcolonialism and disability.

She suffered from ill health for most of her life, after contracting polio as a child and being caught in a devastating bus crash at the age of 18. Later, she developed gangrene, which meant she had to have toes removed and her right leg amputated from below the knee. Some of her orthopaedic devices, medicines and prosthetic limbs will appear at the V&A.

“Frida Kahlo is one of the most iconic and recognisable artists of the last century,” said Tristram Hunt, director of the V&A. “Rediscovered 50 years after her death, a remarkable collection of her clothes, jewellery and personal possessions, integral to her art and identity, are coming to the V&A in 2018.

“We are very excited that the V&A will bring together Frida’s fashion, medical corsets, make-up and other personal items with her self-portraits to better understand and celebrate this remarkable artist.”

The exhibition will run at the V&A from 16 June to 4 November 2018.

Main image: Section from ‘Self-Portrait with Red and Gold Dress’, 1941, courtesy of The Jacques and Natasha Gelman Collection of 20th Century Mexican Art and The Vergel Foundation. Other images: Rex Features

A major exhibition about Frida Kahlo’s incredible fashion is coming to London