William Cornelius Van Horne (1843-1915) was born in Chelsea (Illinois, United States). He was the son of Cornelius Covenhoven Van Horne, who worked as a lawyer, and Mary Minier Richards. His paternal family came from the Netherlands, while on his mother's side he had German and French roots (Vaughan, 1920). Early on he became interested in the railroad world, becoming in 1874 general manager of the Minnesota Southern Railroad and in 1879 general superintendent of the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul line. He later served as general manager of the Canadian Pacific Railway and in 1884 rose to vice president of the company, becoming president in 1899.
In addition to the railroad, Van Horne cultivated another passion: art. During his travels through Europe he acquired numerous pieces, becoming one of the most important collectors of the time. His collection of Japanese ceramics stands out, as well as his collection of paintings, including works by El Greco, Goya, Rembrandt, Géricault, Millet, etc. (Vaughan, 1920).