A stunning new series of photographs of the late artist Frida Kahlo have been released as part of a new book . In the images , which are featured in Frida Kahlo : The Gisèle Freund Photographs , the formidable painter is seen at her most relaxed , walking around her house in Mexico . The pictures portray the artist in her garden or languishing in her bed , giving an unparralled insight into her life with many of the pictures taken in the years before her death in 1954 . Scroll down for video . In the beautiful new pictures by Gisèle Freund the late artist Frida is seen at her most intimate , her she is pictured standing in her garden in Mexico . Beautiful Frida poses in her house ( left ) , in one picture she is seen lying in bed surrounded by books ( right ) Frida , whose real name was Frida Kahlo de Rivera , was a painter who was best known for her self portraits . These images were strong and she has become a feminist icon for her striking and unapologetic style , her monobrow and signature , colourful outfits inspired by traditional Mexican costume . The new photographs were taken by Gisèle Freund , a German-born French photographer , who had travelled to Mexico in 1950 . Having initially only planned to stay for two weeks she ended up staying for two years after becoming friends with Frida and her husband , artist Diego Rivera . Friday looks happy and relaxed here as she reclines on her sofa in a high necked shirt . Frida Kahlo and Dr Juan Farill photographed in her home , 1951 , they are standing in front of one of Frida 's paintings that was done of the pair . Frida Kahlo : The Gisèle Freund Photographs Photographs by Gisèle Freund Texts by Gérard de Cortanze , Gisèle Freund , and Lorraine Audric Published by Abrams . Gisele lived with the couple and began taking many photographs of the pair as they went about their daily lives . In the introduction to the book , Cortanze quotes Freund 's impressions of Kahlo which she had told to Rauda Jamis who wrote a book about the artist . She is said to have said : 'She was a formidable being , but in great distress … not only because of the physical pain due to her terrible tram accident but because she was a deeply conflicted being . 'She loved men , but did not turn away from women . She would shower you with gifts large and small , ranging from a charm , a tiny brass ex-voto , or a good luck stone to pre-Columbian pottery , as well as the heavy jewelry that she was crazy about … . 'One day she told me : I do n't want to live a long time . I am really suffering too much . ' Frida spent much of her life in pain after a tram accident in 1925 . Then a young woman she suffered serious injuries after the vehicle that she was riding in collided with a trolley car . These included damage to her spinal column , a broken collarbone , broken ribs , a broken pelvis , 11 fractures in her right leg , a crushed and dislocated right foot , and a dislocated shoulder . It was the accident which forced her to focus on her painting and give up a potential career in medicine which she had been studying . Kahlo painted to pass the time while she was stuck in bed during the time following the accident . She passed away at just 47 and it is reported that her marriage to Diego was a tumultuous . It is thought that both of them enjoyed extra-marital affairs with Diego angering his wife when he had a relationship with her sister . They divorced in 1939 , however , they were back together again by 1940 . For all of Frida 's hard work though it was n't really until after her death that her work began to gain world-wide recognition and over the years her pieces have been displayed around the world . Her unique look has also previously been emulated by many celebrities . The singer Beyonce once dressed up as Frida . Whilst in the artwork for her latest single ' B**** better have my money ' she seems to have copied the artist 's eyebrows . Some of the photographs show the inside of Frida 's house , some of the walls of which were covered in pictures ( left ) she also kept dolls on her fireplace ( right ) There were many interesting artefacts in Frida 's house including this turtle which was tucked away under a table . Frida stands in the grounds of her gardens , her pose striking against the flora and fauna . Frida stands in her garden a long shawl drapped elegantly around her shoulders .
Frida Kahlo was a Mexican artist known for her self portraits . A new book focusing on her life includes a series of intimate photographs . The pictures were taken by French photographer Gisele Freund . They feature in Frida Kahlo : Freund .