Henri-Théodore Fantin-Latour began his long and distinguished career under the mentorship of his father, Théodore Fantin-Latour (1805–1872/5), who was also a painter. In 1854, he further developed his practice at the École des Beaux-Arts, studying alongside eminent contemporaries including Edgar Degas, Alphonse Legros, and Jean-Charles Cazin.

Throughout his life, Fantin-Latour exhibited alongside many of the great Impressionists, including Édouard Manet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, and Claude Monet. However, despite his close associations with the Impressionist movement, his own work remained more romantic and atmospheric in nature. Particularly his floral still lives, for which he became renowned, harked back to the earlier, perhaps more traditional examples. Later in life, Fantin-Latour began exploring more mythological and allegorical subject matter, embracing looser brushwork and a more expressive style.

Fantin-Latour's romantic and distinctive works defy categorisation, and don’t easily fit in with the works of his contemporaries and the prevailing artistic trends of his time. The artist’s highly atmospheric paintings are a testament to his individuality within the artistic milieu of 19^th-century Paris.