The portrait of Gustaf Sandgren, painted by his friend Harry Martinson and dedicated to Alf Henrikson, is a culturally significant work reflecting the friendship between three prominent Swedish writers. The ironic title “Degenererad greve” (“Degenerate Count”) and the dedication suggest a playful and companionable tone. Sandgren is depicted wearing a fur hat, round glasses, a dark suit, and a pipe, capturing both his personality and the spirit of the time. The painting was likely created around 1930, in connection with the modernist breakthrough marked by the anthology Fem unga.

Martinson, born in Blekinge, had a childhood marked by poverty and worked as a sailor, experiences that strongly influenced his writing, with recurring themes such as nature and the human condition. He debuted as a poet in 1927 and became a central figure in Swedish modernism, known for his rich and highly visual language. Alongside his literary work, he was also active as a visual artist, where his artistic freedom and visual sensibility closely paralleled his writing.

His art was often personal and not intended for public display, frequently created as gifts for friends, as in this portrait. These works combine humor with psychological insight. Among his most famous works are Nomad, Kap Farväl!, Vägen till Klockrike, and Aniara. He was elected to the Svenska Akademien in 1949 and awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1974. After his death in 1978, the Harry Martinsson-sällskapet was founded to preserve and promote knowledge of his life and work.