Epinat Fleury

After accompanying his master David to Rome, the artist spent fifteen years in Italy. Upon his return to France in 1800, he gave up the history painting he had been working on and dedicated himself to historical landscapes in a unique way.

In 1822, he showcased "The Destruction of the Town of Herculaneum by the Lava from Vesuvius" at the Salon. Assisted by Lord Ailesbury, a wealthy patron, Epinat travelled extensively throughout England and Scotland. He commenced his renowned artwork of the Lady of the Lake in the vicinity of the locations depicted by Walter Scott.