Andreas von Behn was miniature portraitist on Queen Dowager Hedvig Eleonora’s staff, meaning he specialised in miniature paintings on vellum such as this one. Behn’s colourist bent never quite disguised his weak figure-drawing and compositional skills. Possibly it is the artist we glimpse behind the pillar. In 1693, he became drawing instructor to the crown prince, who spitefully nicknamed him ’the hag’.