Lucas’s numerous references to Babcock in his Diary began shortly after his arrival in Paris in 1857 and continued until the artist’s death in the summer of 1899. Born in Boston, Babcock lived most of his life in France. In 1847, he became one of the first Americans to study with academic painter, Thomas Couture, and subsequently went on to Barbizon where he befriended Jean-François Millet. Although he painted landscapes and still lifes, Babcock focused his efforts on figural representations many of which are imbued with decidedly mystical qualities.