Mme Vigée-Lebrun soon became the leading society portraitist in France. This conventional portrait of the Princess of Croy had already arrived in Sweden by the middle of 1781 in return for the portrait Gustav III sent to the princess. They met in Spa the previous year. Without naming the artist, the princess pointed out that she had been anxious to choose what she considered the leading talent. Completion of the portrait had been delayed, however, as the artist had been so busy and she became ill.