Wertmüller painted his artist friend Grandel after returning from his studies in Rome. No one needs to wonder about the sitter’s profession, as he is holding a large medal. The adventurous Grandel intended to continue his education in Rome, but his radical opinions led to him spending a year imprisoned in Castel Sant’Angelo. Wertmüller’s portrait is influenced by Neoclassicism’s strict emphasis on form rather than colour.