Unlike the pure landscape painters, who travelled to Italy chiefly for the special light, Louis Dupré was primarily a history and figure painter, although his travels had a decisive influence on his work.

Dupré was trained in the studio of Jacques-Louis David, the undisputed leading figure of French Classicism. This school of art shaped his clear, almost sculptural lines as well as the compositional rigour of his figures.

A decisive step in his career was his appointment as court painter by Jérôme Bonaparte, King of Westphalia—and Napoleon's youngest brother. This royal patronage enabled him to fund his first formative stay in Italy, beginning in 1814. He initially spent two years in Naples, where he worked for the Prince of Salerno, before travelling on to Rome.

This view of the monastery and the church of Trinità dei Monti was taken from one of Rome’s most popular vantage points: the Villa Medici, which has been the seat of the French Academy in Rome since 1803. The fact that Dupré, who was not a resident of the Academy, nevertheless had access to this privileged location is a testament not only to his excellent reputation but also to his extensive network, which included, amongst others, the French ambassador to Rome.

It is clear from the work that it was not painted in a hurry. Dupré was able to take his time. He was probably even sitting comfortably in a chair inside the Villa Medici, spared the usual discomforts of painting en plein air. This is how this enchanting little painting, with its crystalline clarity, came into being.