Classical landscape with travelers at ancient ruins in sunset was executed in the late 18th - early 19th century and due to very close manner and antique inscription with the artist´s name on the stretcher back was attributed to famous French painter Jean-Lois De Marne (1752 - 1829).

Born at Brussels, pupil of Gabriel Briard, Jean-Louis de Marne died at Batignolles near Paris in 1829. He went to Paris at the age of 12 after the death of his father, who had been in Brussels as an officer in the service of the Emperor of Austria. Essayed first, historical subjects, then landscape of the classic and severe order. He had more success with paintings into which animals were introduced and with genre pieces.

He concentrated on landscape and genre painting, in which he was greatly influenced by such 17th century Dutch masters as Aelbert Cuyp, the van Ostade brothers, Paulus Potter, Adriaen van de Velde and Karel Dujardin, all artists enjoying a tremendous vogue and high prices in Paris at that time. His realist landscapes also meet Lazare Bruandet or Georges Michel paintings. On March 27, 1806, an official letter of Vivant Denon, general director of the Napoleon museum, informed him that the Emperor had chosen him to paint the Entrevue de Napoleon et de Pie VII dans la forêt de Fontainebleau, le 24 novembre 1804, 1808 , national museum of Palace of Fontainebleau.

J.-L. de Marne was made an associate of the Académie Royale in 1783 but did not become a full member. He seems to have cared little for official honors and later, in 1815, was unwilling to seek membership of the Institut de France. He was, however, awarded the Légion d´honneur by Charles X of France on April 23, 1828.

His best period was between 1792 and 1808.

Literature: Artist dictionaries : (in French) by Benezit; (in German) by: Hans Vollmer; Thieme / Becker and Friedrich Boetticher. Friedrich von Boetticher; on-line: Wikipedia in French and English

Inscription: antique siganture (or inscription) in French: " pinx. par De Marne..." ( in English: painted by De Marne).

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

Measurements: unframed w 10 5/8" x h 8 5/8" ((27 x 22 cm), framed w 15 1/3" x h 13 1/3" (39 x 34 cm).

Condition: in good condition.