These Famous Artists Had Shocking (And Fascinating) Love Affairs

The above video shows rare home video footage of Kahlo and Rivera taken by Hungarian photographer Nickolas Muray, with whom Kahlo engaged in a 10-year love affair near the end of her life. Kahlo and Rivera were very much in love - the video is narrated with words written by Kahlo on her feelings toward Rivera - but both frequently engaged in affairs. They were wed in 1929 against the wishes of Kahlo's mother, divorced 10 years later, and married again in 1940. 

Prior to their divorce, Rivera had an affair with Kahlo's younger sister Christina, while Kahlo herself engaged in numerous affairs with both men and women. Because of the rocky nature of their relationship, the two kept separate living quarters, but by the time of Kahlo's death, Rivera was still very much in love with her. 

This portrait depicts Fernande Olivier (left) and Pablo Picasso (center) who were lovers for seven years, from 1905-1912. Raymond Reventos (right) is also pictured. In 1904, the two met at Le Bateau-Lavoir, a famous gathering place for artists in Paris in the early 20th century. By 1905, the two had moved in together. Olivier inspired many of Picasso's most famous works, including his sculpture "Woman's Head." She is thought to be a model for one of 1907's "Les Demoiselles d'Avignon." 

Though Olivier was often Picasso's muse, they were both quite jealous and often unfaithful to one another. By the time Picasso had gained worldwide fame in 1912, he left Olivier, as she served as a reminder of the more difficult times in his life. On paper, Olivier was still married to her first husband, so Picasso had no legal obligation to continue to support her. Olivier was forced to take part-time jobs as she continued to make art. 

French sculptor Auguste Rodin was already famous and living with his partner Rose Beuret when he met 18-year-old art student Camille Claudel in 1883. The two quickly began a passionate love affair, and Claudel served as a model for several of his sculptures. They shared a workshop together, but Rodin refused to leave his partner, which infuriated Claudel. After knowing each other for 15 years, Rodin and Claudel called it quits. Eventually, Claudel's mental illness worsened and she was committed to an institution for the rest of her life. 

In the mid-17th century, Hendrickje Stoffels was working for Rembrandt, 20 years her senior, as a maid. Before long, Stoffels and Rembrandt began a relationship, which produced one daughter out-of-wedlock. The news of this got back to the Reformed Church, which eventually banned Stoffels from taking communion. The two essentially had a common law marriage, but were never officially wed. She was the subject of many of his paintings. 

While Pollock, the famed abstract expressionist painter, was married to Lee Krasner, he engaged in an affair with Ruth Kligman. Both of these women were abstract expressionist painters as well. 

She was 26 at the time and he was 44. One night, while driving under the influence, Pollock crashed his car with Kligman and Edith Metzger as passengers. Pollock and Metzger both died, but Kligman survived. She eventually wrote a memoir about their brief relationship. 

Artist Francoise Gilot met Pablo Picasso in a restaurant when she was only 21 years old. Picasso, who was 61 at the time, already had a mistress - Dora Maar - whom he left for Gilot. The two were together for ten years, during which Gilot was often harrassed by Picasso's legal wife. They had two children, which Picasso essentially disowned after Gilot published a memoir on their relationship.