Realizing a painting Bringing Home the Body of King Karl XII was a great investment in both time and money. Before Gustaf Cederström took on the huge canvas, he was thoroughly prepared. Among other things, by painting studies like this to see how the composition worked. The study is dated 1877, which means that it was done for the first version of the painting which was exhibited in 1878 and which is today in the Gothenburg Art Museum's collection.