Ludvig Looström wears a fez, a popular accessory in middle-class circles at the time. The portrait was a gift from friends on his 60th birthday. Larsson, perhaps jokingly, contrasts his unconventional pose with the exemplary order on the shelves behind him. Looström, the National- museum’s Director General from 1900 to 1915, had gained a reputation as a prolific and meticulous scholar. As a museum professional, he was seen more as a skilled administrator than as a great visionary.