Albin Egger-Lienz was a genre and historical painter born in 1866 in Dolsach-Stribach, a Tyrolean province near Lienz. Egger-Lienz's talent was discovered early in his life and was encouraged by both his father, the church painter Gregor Egger, and his father's friend and fellow painter, Hugo Engel.

After studying at the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich from 1884 to 1893 under Karl Raupp, Gabriel von Hackl and Wilhelm von Lindenschmit, Egger-Lienz moved to Vienna in 1899, where he became a member of the Co-operative of Viennese Painters as well as a founding member of the artist's association, Hagenbund - but did not join the Vienna Secession until 1909. In fact, when asked to teach one of the Academy's master courses i...