The Grotto of the Nymph Egeria - Public domain dedication, National Gallery of Art

Herman van Swanevelt was a Dutch painter and etcher known for his landscapes and Italian scenes. He was born in Woerden, the Netherlands, in 1603 and trained in Utrecht before moving to Rome in the 1620s. In Italy he was influenced by the work of the Bamboccianti, a group of Dutch and Flemish genre painters working in Rome. Van Swanevelt's landscapes often featured classical ruins, pastoral scenes and figures engaged in everyday activities. His work is characterised by its atmospheric effects, use of light and shadow, and meticulous attention to detail. He was also skilled in etching and produced a number of prints during his career. Van Swanevelt's paintings and etchings were in great demand during his lifetime and he enjoyed considerable success as an artist. He died in Paris in 1655, leaving behind a legacy of beautiful landscape paintings that are still admired by art lovers today.