Probably born in Ghent (some archival records also mention Overijse and Lille) in 1623, Gillis Neyts is first recorded as a member of the Antwerp guild of Saint-Luke in 1647. It is possible that he was a pupil of Lucas van Uden, though this was never conclusively proven. After spending some time in Holland, Spain and France, he returned to Antwerp, where he remained until his death in 1687. As a painter he specialized in landscapes; however, he is much more appreciated for his drawings, which provide ample testimony to his talents as a draughtsman.

Often small in size yet monumental at the same time, they mostly depict travellers or peasants in various landscape settings, as is the case in the present drawing. While the seascape, with the beautifully rendered tiny ships in the distance, is confidently and effortlessly sketched in quick, somewhat nervous lines, the precise pen technique and scale of the figures is similar to the artist's style in his etchings. With its unusual depiction of the two men in front of the open sea, the work displays a striking modernity, bringing to mind the work of Ensor and Spilliaert.