Portrait Study of Countess Augusta Lewenhaupt

Edelfelt's portrait study of Countess Augusta Lewenhaupt exemplifies his skill with aristocratic portraiture during his Paris years, when his fashionable reputation brought him commissions from the Swedish and Finnish nobility. Lewenhaupt was a prominent aristocratic name in Swedish history, and a commission from this family represented a significant professional achievement for the Finnish painter. The study quality of the work — noted in the title — suggests it was a preparatory canvas made before committing to the more formal finished portrait.

In this study, Edelfelt's handling is somewhat freer than in his finished portraits, with more visible brushwork and a less polished surface. The face is nonetheless rendered with careful observation, capturing the specific character of the sitter.