A 1940 self-portrait by Frida Kahlo has sold for $54.7 million and made auction history at Sotheby’s in New York. Titled “El sueño (La cama),” the painting sold Thursday, surpassing the record for a work by any female artist. The record was held previously by Georgia O’Keeffe’s “Jimson Weed/White Flower No. 1” at $44.4 million. The painting shows Kahlo asleep in a bed with a skeleton above her. Sotheby’s describes it as a meditation on the boundary between sleep and death. The painting is part of a sale featuring over 100 surrealist works.

One of the most spectacular examples of Renaissance illuminated manuscripts is going on rare public display as part of the Vatican’s Holy Year celebrations. The 15th century Borso D’Este Bible is known for its miniature paintings in gold and Afghan lapis lazuli. It was unveiled Thursday in the Italian Senate, where it will remain on display until Jan. 16. It is usually kept in a safe at a library in Modena and is rarely exhibited publicly; it was transported to Rome under heavy security. The Bible was created between 1455 and 1461. The Italian Culture Ministry considers it one of the highest expressions of miniature art “that unites sacred value, historic relevance, precious materials and refined aesthetics.”

A self-portrait by Frida Kahlo could set records when it is sold at auction in November. “El sueño (La cama)” has an estimated price of $40 million to $60 million. It may surpass the highest price for a female artist's work, currently $44.4 million for Georgia O’Keeffe’s “Jimson Weed/White Flower No. 1.” The painting, created in 1940, depicts Kahlo in a four-poster bed with a skeleton lying atop it. Sotheby's expert Julian Dawes says it's a psychological self-portrait by an artist at her peak. It’s part of a Nov. 20 sale featuring over 100 surrealist works. Interest in surrealism is rising, with the genre’s market share increasing significantly in recent years.