Nicolae Grigorescu is one of the most well-known Romanian artists of all times. Born in 1838, Grigorescu started his apprenticeship at the age of 10, in the studio of the Czech painter Anton Chladek. At the age of 15 he was painting icons for the churches of Baicoi and Caldarusani, and after 1857 murals for Zamfira and Agapia monasteries. In the latter he he met Mihail Kogalniceanu, who facilitated his studies in Paris. Between 1962 and 1863, he visited periodically Sebastian Cornu's art studio, where he worked with the famous artist Renoir.

During his studies in Paris, Grigorescu executed copies of masterpieces by Gericault, Rubens and Rembrandt for the Louvre museum. Until 1869 he worked in the open in well-known places around Paris.
The artist had several personal and group exhibitions in Romania and abroad. In 1873 and 1874 he undertakes a field trip to Italy, Austria, Greece and Constantinople in order to pursue his art studies.
Grigorescu took part in the Independence War of 1977-1878 as a battlefield artist; he created numerous drawings, which has provided the basis for larger compositions. Grigorescu built a house in Campina, that has become a museum.

His talent manifested itself in various art genres, with an authority whose echoes reverberated throughout the 20th century, long after his death in 1907. He is one of the founding fathers of modern Romanian painting. His unique artistic vision is apparent in the portraits of D. Grecescu, Carol Davila, Andreescu at Barbizon, self-portraits, battle scenes from the Independence War - The Smardan Attack, Mounted Guard, The Turkish Prisoners - as well as the series "Ox and Cart", also in local and foreign landscapes - At Posada, The Fisherwoman of Granville, Crossroads in the Town of Vitre, The Old Woman from Brolle, Mud Hut in the Forest, Fall Scene.