Magnus Brahe, as a count from the nation's most distinguished family, was almost predestined for a high court office and was appointed Chamberlain to the Cabinet in 1810. He became an early close friend of Karl XIV Johan and was crucial for the king in dealings with subjects and politicians. After becoming the General Adjutant of the army in 1828 and one of the lords of the realm in 1831, he was among the king's closest advisers. His influence was significant, and the path to the monarch's ear often went through Brahe, which led many to speak of the "Brahe Rule."

At Karl XIV Johan's deathbed in 1844, Brahe faithfully kept vigil and subsequently fell ill himself, later following the king to the grave that same year. According to contemporary accounts, Brahe stayed day and night for six weeks at the king's deathbed, only leaving the room briefly to change clothes. An armchair was his resting place during the short moments he dozed off, and during this time, he subsisted only on seltzer water, milk, broth, grapes, and oranges.

A similar portrait in a similar frame has been part of the collections at Skokloster since Magnus Brahe's time.