On what date did Frida Kahlo suffer the bus accident that changed her life?

Frida Kahlo suffered the bus accident that transformed her life on September 17, 1925.

Kahlo was traveling home from school in Mexico City when the bus collided with a streetcar. She was 18 years old and sustained severe injuries, including spinal and pelvic damage. A metal handrail pierced her body, and she spent long periods recovering in bed.

During her recovery, Kahlo’s family arranged a special easel so she could paint while lying down. Mirrors placed above her bed also helped her make the self-portraits that became central to her artistic career.

The accident did not instantly make her a professional artist, but it changed her physical life and supplied recurring subjects for later paintings. It is often mistakenly dated to 1926, the year of her first completed self-portrait.