[1] Her position as a child was somewhat humiliating, as a form of charity object for the upper classes, and in her later work, her paintings of sad little girls are believed to be inspired by her childhood.

[citation needed] She displayed an early talent, making and selling drawings in the manner of Maria Röhl: she started to paint in oil in 1839, became a student of Sofia Adlersparre in 1842, and participated in her first exhibition the following year.

Lindegren socialized with famed culture personalities of the era such as Fredrika Bremer, Olof Eneroth, Wendela Hebbe and Sophie Adlersparre, but she was described as a silent and modestly humble introvert, who never married, had any lovers or spoke much at social occasions, who: "lived a retiring life without making a fuss about herself, worked hard and was seldom or never satisfied with what she produced".

She painted portraits and genre and was inspired by Adolph Tidemand, Hans Gude and Per Nordenberg and the contemporary German style.

[2] Lindegren became an agré in 1853, a title given to younger artists who worked in the spirit of the Royal Swedish Academy of Arts, and in 1856 she became a member.