Harold E. Little was born in Aurora, Illinois in 1940. A printmaker and painter, he studied etching in Florence, Italy (where he became a passionate admirer of Leonardo da Vinci) from 1965-1967, following which he bought a printing press in Bologna to continue what he thought would remain simply a hobby, and returned to the States to teach high school English.

However, in 1971, he decided to return to Florence to give his studies another go, and when he returned spent only one more year teaching English. Afterward he continued his foray into both etching and oil painting, indulging the inspiration he gained from the works of da Vinci and his greatest idol, James A. Whistler. Said Little, "I have a debt to pay Whistler." Until his death in 2011, he continued to work from his 19th century house in Fincastle, Virginia. His work is in collections in Ireland, Europe, Canada and the United States.