Born in Prague in 1610, Skreta travelled extensively in Italy and was nominated a Professor at the Academy of Bologna. He later became a member of the Prague Academy and was elected its director in 1652.

The above lot is sold with a photostat of a letter from Roberto Longhi, dated 1956, which relates the above painting to a version signed and dated 1661 in the National Gallery, Prague. He suggests that the figure of Saint Luke is a self-portrait of the artist. He also states that 'Judging from the reproductions your [the present] painting seems to be, perhaps, better than the canvas [larger] at Prague.'