The artwork presents a self-portrait, a close-up that immediately captures your attention. The artist's gaze is direct, unflinching; it's a gaze that challenges and draws you in. She is surrounded by lush, tropical foliage, with large leaves creating a dense background. The artist's face is framed by a dark braid intertwined with a vibrant red ribbon, echoed by the ribbon that delicately encircles her neck. A small monkey, almost a companion, sits on her shoulder, its dark fur contrasting with her pale skin. The color palette is rich and evocative, the greens and browns of the background setting off the artist’s vivid red ribbon and her flushed cheeks. It is an interplay of contrasts—light and dark, tranquility and intensity, the natural world and the human one.