Guillermo Kahlo

Guillermo Kahlo (born Carl Wilhelm Kahlo; 26 October 1871 – 14 April 1941) was a German-Mexican photographer. He photographically documented important architectural works, churches, streets, landmarks, as well as industries and companies in Mexico at the beginning of the 20th century; because of this, his work has not only artistic value but also historical and documental importance. He was the father of painter Frida Kahlo.

Guillermo Kahlo
Guillermo Kahlo in 1920
Born
Carl Wilhelm Kahlo

26 October 1871
Pforzheim, Grand Duchy of Baden
Died14 April 1941(1941-04-14) (aged 69)
Mexico City, Mexico
Spouses
  • María Cardena,
  • Matilde Calderón y González
Children7, including Frida Kahlo and Cristina Kahlo

Early life and education

Kahlo was born in Pforzheim, Grand Duchy of Baden, German Empire (now in Baden-Württemberg, Germany), the son of jeweller Jakob Heinrich Kahlo and Henriette Kaufmann.[1] His daughter, Frida Kahlo, maintained that he was of Hungarian-Jewish descent.[1] A 2005 book[2] by Gaby Franger and Rainer Huhle traced Kahlo's genealogy, and stated that "despite the legend propagated by Frida," Guillermo did not have Jewish Hungarian roots, but was born to Lutheran parents who "came from families accommodated in Frankfurt and Pforzheim."[3]

He attended the University of Nuremberg. His father paid him to travel to Mexico in 1891 as he did not get along with his stepmother. In Mexico, Wilhelm adopted the Spanish equivalent of his name - "Guillermo." In July 1894, he solicited Mexican citizenship.[4]

Career
Construcción del Palacio Legislativo, 12 June 1912. The image shows work on the building before it was halted as a result of the Mexican Revolution.

Kahlo's earliest known photograph is from 1897.[4] His first project with Secretary of Finance José Yves Limantour was in 1900.[4] Kahlo usually used large glass plates that measured 8in x 10in to 11in x 14in.[4]

In 1901, he set up a photographic studio, working for El Mundo Ilustrado and Semanario Ilustrado. He was commissioned by the government to do architectural photographs, probably his best work. He also took photographs of churches with other photographers for a six-volume survey in the 1920s. José Vasconcelos published Kahlo's work involving the churches in 1923 through Mexico's Ministry of Education.[5]

Personal life
Matilde Calderón y González 1897
Matilde, Adriana, Frida, and Cristina Kahlo 1916

Kahlo married Mexican-born María de los Dolores Eleuteria Clotilde Cardeña Espino in August, 1893.[6] The night she died giving birth to their third child, he asked Antonio Calderón for his daughter Matilde’s hand in marriage. After the marriage, Kahlo sent his and Maria’s daughters away to be raised in a convent.

Kahlo and Calderón were the parents of seven children, including the painter Frida Kahlo and Cristina Kahlo. Cristina was the only one who had children. Frida once commented that, in her childhood, she would sometimes be present when her father suffered from epileptic seizures and would give him aid.[4]

Kahlo died on April 14 1941 in Coyoacán, Mexico City.

Kahlo was played by Roger Rees in the 2002 film Frida.

See also

Citations
  1. Herrera, Hayden (1983). A Biography of Frida Kahlo. New York: HarperCollins. p. 5. ISBN 978-0-06-008589-6.
  2. Gaby Franger; Rainer Huhle; Juan Coronel Rivera; Städtische Galerie Pforzheim (2005). Fridas Vater: Der Fotograf Guillermo Kahlo. Munich: Schirmer Mosel. p. 247. ISBN 9783829601979.
  3. Ronnen, Meir (20 April 2006). "Frida Kahlo's father wasn't Jewish after all". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 2 September 2009.
  4. Talavera, Juan Carlos. "Guillermo Kahlo, revelado". Excélsior. Retrieved 16 March 2016.
  5. CARRANZA, LUIS E.; LARA, FERNANDO LUIZ (2014). Modern Architecture in Latin America: Art, Technology, and Utopia. University of Texas Press. pp. 18–20. ISBN 978-0-292-75865-0.
  6. "Maria Cardena Genealogy". 2015.
  • Coronel Rivera, Juan. et al. Guillermo Kahlo fotógrafo 1872–1941. Vida y obra. CNCA / INBA. México 1993.

Further reading
  • Casanova, Rosa. "Guillermo Kahlo: luz, piedra y rostro". Colección mayor. Bellas Artes'. Published, 2013. ISBN 9786074952940
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