Carl Rottmann painted a cycle of Greek landscapes between 1838 and 1850 that was commissioned by King Ludwig I. The paintings were originally intended to decorate the walls of the northern arcades in the Munich Hofgarten, i.e. outdoors. This necessitated an unusual painting technique on heavy plaster boards supported by reinforced iron frames. Originally, the paintings were to be in encaustic. This painting technique, in which the colours are "melted" into the walls, is based on ancient traditions. It was supposed to be particularly durable and was favoured in Munich at the time.
However, Ludwig I decided to exhibit Rottmann's 23 wall paintings in the Neue Pinakothek that had opened in 1853. The room specially prepared for the paintings offered a spectacular presentation. The painting technique was changed in accordance with the new location: according to contemporary reports, Rottmann quickly abandoned encaustic and looked for a more suitable technique for his artistic intentions.
