John Panzio Tockson’s background is mysterious, but he was almost definitely born in Africa, possibly on Madagascar. One rumour says that Tockson was sold into slavery, but managed to escape and reach Gothenburg. In around 1860 he arrived at the court of King Karl XV, becoming his personal valet and responsible for the king’s dogs and saddle horses. Dardel has depicted Tockson in his role of stableman, dressed in a bolero-like jacket, breeches and a red fez.

Alongside his career as a military officer and civil servant, Fritz von Dardel studied to be an artist in Paris around 1840. Soon after his return to Sweden, he was appointed aide-de-camp and close associate of Crown Prince Karl (XV). He advised him on purchases of art and on acquisitions for the Nationalmuseum’s collections. Von Dardel’s watercolours portray scenes from the royal court and social life. One of the people he portrayed on several occasions was John Panzio Tockson, who was Karl XV’s footman from 1860 and also took care of the king’s dogs and riding horse. It is in this capacity that he appears in Dardel’s portrait. Tockson’s origins are unknown, but he is believed to have been born in Africa, possibly on Madagascar.