In the 1910s, Konrad Mägi lived in Viljandi on more than one occasion. He stayed at the place of his childhood friend Frieda Sangernebo, and painted the town and its surroundings. On his walks around Viljandi he found several spots for painting: he depicted the castle ruins of Viljandi, Pauluse (St. Paul’s) Church, Lake Uueveski, and the old prison yard in Kauba Street in the old town. He also painted a number of portraits in Viljandi: Sangernebo, the poet Friedrich Kuhlbars, the army officer Theodor Käärik, and the local clergyman Johannes Ernst Mickwitz. Mägi and the local painter Villem Ormisson undertook a trip to paint Romas who were stationed just outside Viljandi.