Pauline Brunius was the grande dame of Swedish theatre in the first half of the 20th century – actress, singer and director of both stage and screen. From 1938 to 1948 she was also the first female manager of Stockholm’s Royal Dramatic Theatre. David Wallin’s portrait was painted when she was still Pauline Lindstedt and working for the Swedish Theatre in Stockholm, a period in which she moved from girlish roles to character parts, a progression reflected in the quiet earnestness of the portrait.