Adriaen de Vries (1556-1626) was born in The Hague, where he probably trained as a goldsmith. His talent took him to Florence, where he took up sculpture.

De Vries had a unique and personal style that was way ahead of its time. He used a loose, sketchy modelling technique that brought his bronzes to life. Only centuries later did other sculptors, including Rodin, incorporate this seemingly spontaneous technique into their own work. After his time in Italy, De Vries lived for a long time in Prague, where he worked for the Habsburg emperor Rudolf II and his successor. It is partly for this reason that Adriaen de Vries is largely unknown in the Netherlands. Elsewhere he was regarded as one of the greatest sculptors of his time.