Jacques Joseph Tissot was a French painter born in 1836 who was influenced by Belgian painter Baron Henri Leys and artists Edgar Degas and James McNeill Whistler. He is known for his paintings depicting elegant women in detailed dresses from the Directoire period in France. In 1871, he moved to London during the Prussian War where he gained entry to social circles and began illustrating scenes from the New Testament over 10 years.