American painter of historical, literary and portrait subjects, Louis Lang was born in Wurtemberg, Germany into an artistic family. At the age of 16, he was already producing accomplished pastels. He began his art studies in Stuttgart and later worked in Paris before he immigrated to the United States in 1838. He settled in Philadelphia and from 1841 to 1845 he resided in Italy. In 1847 he moved to New York City where he lived for the remainder of his career with frequent visits to Europe. During the Civil War, Lang held a studio in the Tenth Street Studio Building and exhibited at the National Academy of Design where he was elected an Associate in 1850 and Academician in 1852.