Frida Kahlo (1907 - 1954), from Mexico, is one of the most acclaimed Latin American painters. Kahlo's works are noted for their very personal and emotional character. She was intensely nationalistic and although her art was influenced by Italian 15th and 16th century artists such as Boticelli, it was more notably inspired by Mexican folk art. She was thought of as a Surrealist, however, in her words, "I never painted dreams. I painted my own reality." Each painting is an autobiography of Kahlo's relationship with Diego Rivera and the incessant pain with which she lived throughout her adult life. This pain resulted from a street car accident as a teenager. She is heralded by present day feminists due to her strength, character and perhaps also the feminine and personal nature of her works.