Born in Basel, Switzerland, in 1827, Böcklin studied at the Düsseldorf Academy of Art, where he was influenced by the Romantic landscape tradition. He spent much of his career in Italy, particularly in Rome and Florence, where the Mediterranean landscape and classical mythology became central to his artistic development.

His work is characterized by a dreamlike, often melancholic quality, frequently depicting mythological figures, ruins, and mysterious, isolated settings. He utilized a rich, evocative color palette to explore themes of mortality, nature, and the supernatural, moving away from the strict realism of his contemporaries toward a more subjective, symbolic expression.

Böcklin's influence extended well beyond the visual arts, deeply impacting late Romantic composers and later generations of painters. His legacy remains significant in the history of Symbolism, with his compositions continuing to be referenced in modern art discourse and institutional exhibitions exploring the evolution of landscape painting.