Frida Kahlo museum denies lending painter's clothes to Madonna

MEXICO CITY

A Mexico City museum dedicated to the painter Frida Kahlo has denied lending her clothing and jewelry to pop superstar Madonna during a visit by the American singer to the Mexican capital.

The controversy erupted after the 65-year-old, who gave several concerts in Mexico in late April, posted a picture of herself wearing a shawl and embroidered dress during a visit to what she said was Kahlo's "family home."

"A beautiful souvenir, visiting the family home of my eternal muse," she said in a post on Instagram.

"For me it was magical to try on her clothes and jewelry, to read her journals and letters and to look at photos I'd never seen before," Madonna added.

The image provoked a mixture of reactions, with some defending the singer.

"They say that we Mexicans are born wherever we want. Madonna was born in Michigan but she is very Mexican," said one comment.

Others said ordinary people would never be given the opportunity she was.

"I'm Mexican, and I can almost assure you they would never let a Mexican do that," another said.

But the Frida Kahlo Museum, also known as the Casa Azul, said that the singer was unable to personally visit its collection in the house where the surrealist painter, who died in 1954 at the age of 47, lived for 36 years.

"We want to clarify that the clothes, photos and objects that Madonna published on her different social media sites do not belong to the Casa Azul collection," it said.

The clothing and jewelry in its collection were "subject to strict conservation measures" and "not loaned for personal use," added the museum.

According to the newspaper Reforma, the photo posted by Madonna was taken during a private visit to a home of Kahlo's relatives, including the painter's great-grandniece.