Guillermo Kahlo

Guillermo Kahlo (born Carl Wilhelm Kahlo; 26 October 1871 – 14 April 1941) was a German-born Mexican-naturalized 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.

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. His daughter, Frida Kahlo, maintained that he was of Hungarian-Jewish descent. by Gaby Franger and Rainer Huhle traced Kahlo's genealogy, and stated that "despite the legend propagated by Frida," Guillermo had not Jewish Hungarian roots, but was born to Lutheran parents who "came from families accommodated in Frankfurt and Pforzheim."

He attended the 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 applied for Mexican citizenship.

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.

Personal life

Kahlo married Mexican-born María de los Dolores Eleuteria Clotilde Cardeña Espino in August, 1893. 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 María's daughters away to be raised in a convent.

Kahlo and Calderón were the parents of four additional 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. Both paintings are located at the Frida Kahlo Museum.