Charles XV had a great interest in art and was himself a painter, specialising in landscapes. Here he is accompanied in his studio by his consort, Queen Lovisa, and the couple’s daughter, Princess Lovisa, who is sitting by the window, beyond the green curtains the king used to regulate the amount of light in the room. The Dutch artist Tetar van Elven made this paint- ing on a visit to Stockholm. The fact that Queen Lovisa came from the Netherlands may explain why he was given the commission.