Allegorical scene with love couple in the forest (Daphne and Chloe) was executed in the middle of 19th century and due to the stilistic and compositive similarity and quality was attributed to the hand of German historical painter of 19th century Carl Ludwig Friedrich Becker (1820 - Berlin - 1900). The motive of this work based with confidence stilistic on ancient Greek mythology, which stories used Becker often in his paintings.

Becker painted predominantly historical and mythological many figure representations, he held a Professur, and later became the president of the Berlin Art Academy like also joint founder of the Art Association in Rome. Carl Ludwig Friedrich Becker was a pupil of August von Klöber, Peter von Cornelius, and Heinrich Maria von Hess, and afterwards studied a year in Paris, two years in Rome and visited Venice.He first attained success with subjects of the Venetian Renaissance. Later in life, he made many visits to Venice to study paintings drawn from life in the 15th and 16th centuries. The chief characteristics of his manner are historical fidelity, skillfulness of technique, and richness of coloring. His works include �Belisarius as a Beggar� (1850), �Jeweler at a Venetian Senator´s� (1855), �Visit of Sebastian del Piombo to Titian� (1861), �Doge in Council� (1864), �Charles V and Fugger� (1870), �Dürer in Venice� (1873), �Charles V Visiting Titian� (1873), �In the Picture Gallery� (1874), �Bianca Capello� (1874), �Scene from the Marriage of Figaro� (1874), �Emperor Maximilian Receiving the Venetian Embassy� (1877), and frescos for the Berlin Museum.

Literature: Thieme/Becker "Lexicon of artists from antique to contemporary" (in German), Leipzig, 1999; Friedrich von Boetticher "Malerwerke des 19 Jahrhunderts", Leipzig, 1892.

Inscription: unsigned.

Technique: oil on canvas. Luxuriousy original period gold-plated wood frame.

Measurements: unframed w 25 1/2" x h 23 1/4 " (65 x 59 cm), framed w 30 1/3" x h 28 " ( 77 x 71 cm).

Condition: in very good condition.