The Frame became the first work by a twentieth-century Mexican artist acquired by the Louvre.
Frida Kahlo painted The Frame in 1938. It is a small self-portrait surrounded by an ornate glass-and-tin frame decorated with brightly colored flowers and ribbons. The painting reflects Kahlo’s interest in Mexican popular art and in the presentation of the self through clothing, adornment, and crafted objects.
The work was shown in Paris in 1939, where it attracted attention from European collectors and institutions. The Louvre acquired it, making Kahlo the first twentieth-century Mexican artist represented in its collection. This was a major recognition during her lifetime, even though her international reputation later expanded far beyond that single acquisition.
The Frame is now held by the Centre Pompidou in Paris. It is often confused with The Two Fridas, another major work from the same period, but The Frame is the painting associated with the Louvre’s landmark purchase.