Born in Berlin, Franz Ludwig Catel (1778-1856) began his career with wood carving, then moved on to illustration and finally oil painting, which he studied in Paris beginning in 1807. A talented landscape artist, he was captivated by Italian geography and architecture. Eventually, Catel settled in Italy and established himself as a successful and profitable painter, even establishing a fund for young artists in Rome. He is best remembered for works that toe the line between landscapes and genre paintings.