Nicolae Grigorescu was a prominent Romanian painter who helped establish modern Romanian painting in the 19th century. He was born in 1838 in Pitaru, Romania and showed an early aptitude for painting icons and church murals. Grigorescu later received a scholarship to study art in Paris where he was influenced by realist styles like the Barbizon school. He painted landscapes, portraits, and scenes of rural life, often depicting the people and landscapes of Romania in an realistic, detailed style. Grigorescu helped promote Romanian art both at home and abroad and was named an honorary member of the Romanian Academy later in his career.