Wild was born in Leeds and originally intended to go in for engineering. At some date, however, he decided to become an artist and underwent an extensive continental training, studying at the Antwerp Academy, the Académie Julian in Paris, and in Spain. He began to exhibit at the R.A. in 1889, sending a total of fifteen works until 1926, when he made his last appearance twenty-four years before his death at the age of nearly ninety. He also showed at the Royal Society of British Artists (from 1893; member 1900), and is said to have exhibited on the continent and in America. He was still living in the Leeds area in 1891, but the following year he moved to Great Marlow, where he seems to have settled for life.

From the list of his exhibited pictures it is known that he painted landscapes, portraits and figure subjects, but today his work is scarce; only two male portraits - one of the 13th Duke of Hamilton (collection of the sitter's family), the other of General Sir George Higginson (Cavalry and Guards Club) - are in the Witt Library file. The present picture is an early work, painted when the artist was twenty-six and two years before he started exhibiting at the Academy. It clearly shows the impact of his Parisian training, and it has been suggested that it was painted in France. On balance, however, the landscape and figures would seem to be English.