Having studied at the Academy of Ghent under Albert Voituron and Bolthazar Ommeganck, Verboeckhoven soon established himself as the foremost animal painter of his day. He was widely exhibited and became a member of numerous academies on the continent, including Brussels and St. Petersburg. Throughout his career, Verboeckhoven collaborated with several artists, including Campotosto. Also a Belgian painter, Campotosto primarily specialised in genre scenes and in the present works the figures have been executed by him while Verboeckhoven painted the animals.