The 90-year-old Augusta Löwenhielm was described by contemporaries as “a charming relic of the time of Gustav III”. In this portrait, though, she is no nostalgic dreamer, but seems happy in the role of an amiable grandmother in a cosy domestic setting. Her gaze is alert and she is surrounded by writing materials and books, suggesting cultivation and a keen intellect. The only indication that life is approaching its end is a watch. This is an early painting by Amalia Lindegren.