Simon Denis - In der Neptunsgrotte bei Tivoli - 2857 - Staatliche Kunsthalle Karlsruhe

Simon Denis was a Flemish painter who was born in 1755 in Antwerp, Belgium. He was a pupil of the famous painter Balthasar Beschey and later studied at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp. Denis was known for his landscape paintings, often inspired by the work of 17th century Dutch painters such as Jacob van Ruisdael and Aelbert Cuyp. He also painted portraits and historical scenes. In 1783, Denis moved to Paris, where he became a member of the Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture. He was well respected in Parisian artistic circles and was appointed court painter to Louis XVI. Denis' style was characterised by a delicate use of light and colour, and his landscapes often had a sense of tranquillity and serenity. His work was highly influential on later generations of landscape painters. Simon Denis died in Paris in 1813 at the age of 58.