A View of Vishram Ghat, Mathura

De Forest was an American artist and a partner of Louis Comfort Tiffany (1848-1933) in their short-lived decorating firm 'The Associated Artists'. During that collaboration, de Forest set up workshops in Ahmedabad, India and had wood carvings made for commissions. He also wrote a book called 'Indian Domestic Architecture', which was published in 1885.

Mathura in Uttar Pradesh is one of the most sacred cities of Hinduism, being the reputed birthplace of Krishna, an incarnation of the god Vishnu. The River Jumna and its ghats are the focal point for Hindu pilgrims.