Which 1938 Frida Kahlo painting shows a monkey holding a ribbon around her neck?

Self-Portrait with Monkey is the 1938 Frida Kahlo painting showing a monkey holding a ribbon around her neck.

Kahlo painted several self-portraits with animals, especially monkeys. In this work, a spider monkey sits behind her and holds a red ribbon that loops around her neck. The close framing and dense foliage are characteristic of Kahlo’s carefully staged self-portraits.

The painting was made in 1938, the year before Kahlo’s first solo exhibition in New York. Her monkeys were not merely decorative subjects: they were beloved pets and recurring companions in her art. Their presence has led viewers to discuss affection, companionship, and symbolic protection, though interpretations differ from one painting to another.

The title is often confused with Self-Portrait with Thorn Necklace and Hummingbird, another famous work involving a monkey. The two paintings are separate compositions: the 1938 work has a ribbon and no hummingbird, while the 1940 work includes a thorn necklace and a hanging hummingbird.