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Cornelis van Poelenburgh can be considered one of the founders of the Dutch Italianate genre. After studying under Abraham Bloemaert, the painter travelled to Rome, where he became a member of the "schildersbent", the association of Rome's Netherlandish painters. After the Roman years, Poelenburgh worked in Florence for the grand duke of Tuscany. The Italian sojourn was of fundamental importance for his later development. Once back in the Netherlands, he became one of Utrecht's leading artists and was invited by the king to England, where he worked from 1638 to 1641.

Poelenburgh´s fame is mostly linked to his enamel-smooth landscapes, often depicting romantic ruins and statuary fragments. The painter became famous especailly for his particular skill in capturing the atmospheric qualities of the Italian countryside, almost transforming them to idyllic mythological land.