From an early age, Jacques de Gheyn III was destined for an artist’s career. His grandfather was a successful draftsman and glass-painter, and his father, Jacques de Gheyn II, was an illustrious draftsman, engraver, and painter. As a boy, de Gheyn studied classical subjects while also receiving careful artistic training from his father, who appears to have been his only instructor. By 1616 de Gheyn had fully mastered the skills of etching and engraving. That same year, he created a series of drawings, The Wise Men of Ancient Greece, which was overwhelmingly well-received by his contemporaries. This series consisted of seven drawings of individual, seated, elderly figures, wrapped in heavy cloaks and reading the books for which they were best known. Two years later, at age twenty-two, de Gheyn and his compatriot Constantijn Huygens traveled to England, where de Gheyn arranged visits to important collections. He also made sketches in chalk or pen and ink of antique sculpture at Arundel Castle, home to the passionate collectors the earl and countess of Arundel.

After his father’s death in 1629, de Gheyn’s artistic activity waned, leading Huygens to remark that his talent had been “choked by too much prosperity”. De Gheyn spent his later years amassing a significant art collection, including works by Rembrandt, Jan Lievens, and Hans Holbein; he also served as the canon at Utrecht's Mariakerk. He died on June 5, 1644, leaving a small body of work distinctive in its variety of subjects and realism.

Pittacus of Mytilene was a statesman and sage who is known as one of the Seven Wise Men of ancient Hellas. He was born around 652-649 BC and died between 578 and 570 BC. Pittacus was the son of Hyrradius and father of Tyrrhaeus.