Gustaf Mauritz Armfelt, Swedish ambassador to the Italian courts, is shown with Florence’s le Cascine in the background. On his knee is Voltaire’s La mort de César. He contemplates busts of the murdered Julius Caesar and Gustav III. Armfelt fell out of favour after the Swedish king’s death. The painting has a political message, and not unexpectedly it was used as evidence when Armfelt in his absence was sentenced to death for high treason.
Credit: Gift 1927 Countess Sofie Nordenfalk
Signed 1793
Oil on canvas
50.0 x 65.5 cm
NM 2654
Image and text © Nationalmuseum Sweden, 2019
Permanent collection