August Strindberg made his breakthrough in 1879 with The Red Room. He lived for parts of his life in France, where many Scandinavian artists studied and worked. There, this much-discussed writer had his portrait painted by the Danish artist Sophie Holten, who was well known for her feminist views. Among other things, she wanted to free women from the traditional role of the housewife. Holten’s portrait of Strindberg with a cigar in his hand is one of her most famous works.