For 65 years, the art world has lost the trace of “La Mesa Herida”, an emblematic work by the iconographic Mexican painter. Frida Kahlo. This canvas, known for its enormous size of 1.2 meters high by 2.4 meters long, appeared for the last time in an exhibition of Diego Rivera in Polandspecifically in the year 1955. After that event, the piece disappeared without a trace, plunging experts and admirers into a deep mystery about its whereabouts.
“The Wounded Table” is not only distinguished by its physical dimensions, but also by the deep symbolism it contains, characteristic of Kahlo’s work. The artist, known for capturing her personal experiences and sufferings on canvas, conceived this work as a representation of her most intimate pains, including her inability to conceive and the effects of her delicate health. The composition features strongly symbolic elements such as a skeleton combing Kahlo’s hair and anthropomorphic figures that evoke her personal battles, in a clear example of the introspection and pain that defined her life and her art.
This work is considered one of Frida Kahlo’s most significant works, not only because of the hard work involved in its creation but also because of the deep emotional and symbolic charge it carries. Through “La Mesa Herida,” Kahlo manages to communicate her experience with a raw realism and emotional intensity that has resonated across generations, cementing her status as a central figure in Mexican art and an important voice in the narrative of the human experience.
The disappearance of “The Wounded Table” continues to be a topic of debate and research among art historians and enthusiasts of Kahlo’s work. Her absence not only means the loss of a valuable element of Mexican cultural heritage but also of a key piece to understand the emotional and artistic complexity of Frida Kahlo.
The renowned work “The Wounded Table” by Frida Kahlo, which had been missing for years, has been located in 2020. According to information revealed by La Voz de Galicia, the painting is now in the possession of an art dealer from Rianxo, Spain . This merchant acted on behalf of Cristian López Márquez, a client of Mexican origin and one of the owners of The Billion Art, a company dedicated to the marketing of high-value artistic pieces.
The news of the appearance of “The Wounded Table” resurfaces after a long period of speculation about its location. La Voz de Galicia highlights that Cristian López Márquez, together with Mexican partners, was in charge of the sales operation through his firm The Billion Art. This revelation not only puts an end to a long search but also highlights the importance of networks of art trade in the location and distribution of significant works of art worldwide.
The involvement of The Billion Art in the “The Wounded Table” transaction underlines its position within the art market as an intermediary in the sale of high-caliber works. The company, which collaborates with collectors and merchants from various parts of the world, specializes in the acquisition and sale of valuable art, adding this Frida Kahlo piece to its already impressive catalog. This event not only confirms the cultural and monetary value of Kahlo’s work, but also highlights Mexico’s role as a country of origin of artistic artifacts of inestimable value.
The circumstances behind the discovery and acquisition of “The Wounded Table” by Cristian López Márquez and his partners refer to an international network of art collectors and dealers, who seek to preserve and promote the world’s artistic heritage.
