Leonhard Rausch (1813-1895) was a friend and student of Johann Wilhelm Schirmer. From 1829 to 1830 he studied at the Academy in Düsseldorf, and then again from 1840 to 1841. He painted landscapes of his home country, classical landscapes with biblical motifs, and alpine landscapes. Whilst in Aachen during the 1840s Rausch made a number of engravings representing historical sights and buildings in the area. He made several journeys especially in Switzerland and the Tyrol, where he found the subjects for many of his paintings, including this one, which probably represents a view of Lake Lucerne.

Mountains loom over a lake, with a waterfall cascading down the steep rock face in the centre distance; a hut nestles amid pine trees on the right of the rugged boulder-strewn shore; with two small vessels on the calm waters.