On their first public day at the Museum of Fine Arts, Salvadora and Herminia entertained a modest parade of guests with silent dignity.

“Dos Mujeres (Salvadora y Herminia),’’ an early painting by the Mexican artist Frida Kahlo, was unveiled Wednesday after moving to the MFA from a private collection in December. Displayed prominently in the building’s centrally located Carol Vance Wall Rotunda, the work — which depicts two maids in Kahlo’s childhood household — solicited gazes from the handful of lunchtime admirers that passed through, both casual visitors and Frida fanatics alike.

“The people who came today, they were very excited,’’ said Sharon Bazarian, a museum docent keeping cheerful watch nearby. Bazarian noted that while the daytime patronage to see “Dos Mujeres’’ had been steady but slight, she expected a heavier rush once the museum opened its doors for free entry at 4 p.m.

Those who paid an earlier visit, however, had more time to study the painting. People came in measured bursts, but the overall tone was light on fanfare.

“My mom was actually coming up to visit, so it’s a fun thing to do when you have family in town,’’ said Kaylin Terhune, gesturing to her mother, Lynda. While the two had planned to visit the museum anyway, hearing from Lynda’s brother about the new addition was a pleasant perk.

“I would say I do appreciate her work a lot,’’ the younger Terhune said. “Definitely the authenticity of it, it’s just beautiful.’’

Others, like Anja von Rosenstiel, said hearing about “Dos Mujeres’’ inspired their popping by in the first place.

“She was a fascinating lady,’’ von Rosenstiel said of Kahlo. “I’d say at this time you don’t have a lot of female artists. Like Sophie Taeuber, the wife of Jean Arp, she never managed to get her own standing next to her husband, and was only discovered years after he had already been famous. [Kahlo] was one of the few very famous female artists, so I find that very interesting.’’

Tina Casteris, visiting with Bradley Arnall, cited the rarity of Kahlo’s work as the biggest draw for visiting the two maids so soon after their Boston debut.

“She’s just one of my favorite painters,’’ she said. “We had seen some of her work in Washington, D.C., and were just excited that the MFA got this acquisition, and wanted to come out and see it.’’

Casteris smiled, adding that it was her birthday. Behind her, Salvadora and Herminia smiled too, peaceful in the quiet, welcoming and welcomed.

Joe Incollingo can be reached at joe.incollingo@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @jk_inco.