There seems to be a lot of controversy surrounding a 1939 French edition of Vogue magazine that featured Frida Kahlo on the cover. I have been researching the life and works of Frida Kahlo since 2003 and during my research I have read numerous accounts in books, magazines and internet articles about this elusive magazine cover. Some say it was just an image of her hands adorned with several rings while other say it was a full image of her based on a photograph taken by Nickolas Muray. I have spent hours searching for the magazine cover and have not found it anywhere. Of all the accounts I've read no one has been able to produce an image of the magazine cover…and many also admit they too have searched endlessly for it and never found it.

In August of 2011, my website colleague, Isa, emailed me this cover image. She found it somewhere on the internet. I did some research and found that two people had posted the cover image. I emailed both of them to ask what they knew about this magazine cover and where they found it…..unfortunately neither replied. So….I emailed Vogue Paris with the same inquiry….they didn't respond either. On Octobor 20th, 2011, a site visitor emailed me to confirm that the image on the left is in fact a real cover from a recent publication of a French Vogue magazine. I have once again emailed Vogue Paris to try to find out what month and year the cover was used. This time I composed the email in French hoping that might encourage them to reply...but so far no response from them......

If anyone knows anything about the 1939 Vogue cover please email me (Mike)

The Cover Translated to English:

VOGUE PARIS

SPECIAL WOMEN IN LATIN AMERICA

A WOMAN OF POWER: FRIDA KAHLO

This Vogue cover was the cover of a supplement to the November 2012 special edition of the Vogue (Mexico) magazine. The supplement was to coincide with the November 22 opening of “Appearances Can Be Deceiving: The Dresses of Frida Kahlo” at the artist’s eponymous museum: "Museo Frida Kahlo" in Coyoacan, Mexico, a suburb of Mexico City.

The Cover Translated to English:

VOGUE Mexico

Frida Kahlo

The Appearances Deceive

This cover was produced in conjunction with the 2002 Miramax film "Frida". The subject in this mockup cover is NOT Frida Kahlo....it is Salma Hayek who protrays Frida in the film.

In my research I found these photos of Frida that appeared in the October 1, 1937 edition of the U.S. version of Vogue.

The September 1931 edition of Vanity Fair magazine featured a photo of Frida and Diego and an article about Diego's work as a muralist.

Kahlo/Rivera Photograph by Peter A. Juley

The December 1990 edition of the American Airline magazine, American Way, featured a photograph of Frida Kahlo on its cover and a 14 page article titled "The Cult of Kahlo" with several photos of Kahlo and her paintings.