Frans Floris (1519/1520–1570), one of the leading Flemish painters of the sixteenth century, became a master in the Antwerp Guild of Saint Luke in 1539/1540. He is shown arriving at the Guild to attend his first Saint Luke’s Day Feast on 18 October 1540, accompanied by his wife and two servants (although, in fact, Floris did not marry until 1547). Scenes such as this, showing the wealth and accomplishments of earlier artists, were frequently painted in the early nineteenth century. Leys was himself an Antwerp artist, and it may be significant to his choice of subject that in 1853 the post of Director of the Antwerp Academy became vacant after the resignation of Gustaf Wappers. Although Leys was thought by many to be best placed to succeed Wappers, the position went to Nicaise de Keyser.