Nicaise de Keyser was a Belgian painter and is considered one of the main representatives of the Belgian Romantic historical school. He studied painting at the Royal Academy of Arts in Antwerp. From 1835, he undertook numerous journeys to the British Isles, Paris and Italy. His history paintings were especially appreciated in the German-speaking countries of Europe. De Keyser often accepted commissions in Germany and was awarded the Prussian order “Pour le Mérite”. In 1855, he was elected director of the Antwerp Academy of Fine Arts. In addition to large-scale histories, set in baroque style, de Keyser also painted genre scenes and portraits. Although he was very successful during his lifetime, he – like most Belgian Romantic painters – quickly fell into oblivion in the 20th century.