In Self Portrait with Monkeys, the background is a tropic plant and which is a common theme Frida liked to use. She posed herself in an academic setting. At that time Frida started to work as a teacher at School of Painting and Sculpture in Mexico City. But not long after she started her teaching, her health condition got worsened and she had to hold the classes in her own house. Eventually, the class was downsized to only four loyal students. They call themselves “Los Fridos”, which means they are loyal to Frida Kahlo. Here Frida painted herself surrounded by four monkeys and which may imply her four loyal students.