Claes Grill was one of Sweden’s wealthiest people, ran a large trading company and was one of the directors of Svenska Ostindiska Companiet – SOIC (the Swedish East India Company). He had lost one of his eyes in an accident involving a signal (saluting) cannon. Portrait painter Gustaf Lundberg therefore depicted him virtually in profile. On his mother’s side the artist was related to Stockholm’s affluent families of artists and craftspeople. They also included Claes Grill, whose grandfather was a goldsmith.