Gerard ter Borch is one of the most important Dutch genre painters. Born in the mid-1600s, this painter was a part of the Golden Age of the Dutch Golden Age. His paintings have been considered some of the best in this period. Influences on his work include Johannes Vermeer, Gerrit Dou, and Gabriel Metsu. However, his art has been largely overlooked. 

Terborch spent the first half of his life painting in a guardhouse, and in his later years he concentrated on landscape and interior subjects. His work is characterized by graceful compositions of serene, contrasting figures against dark backgrounds. This style helped him stand out among his peers and earned him a place in the Royal Collection of the Netherlands. His portraits, especially the ones depicting children, are especially famous.

His father, a Dutch tax collector, had an art practice. He visited Italy and Rome, and signed and dated many of his son's early paintings. In 1632, Gerard Ter Borch moved to Haarlem and studied under Pieter de Molyn. He also traveled to London and studied under Pieter de Molijn in Haarlem. In 1635, Ter Borch visited England and Rome. In 1640, he spent two or three years in Munster, Westphalia. He painted a scene of a peace treaty, and it was highly appreciated by King Philip IV.