Carl Wuttke (1849-1927) was born in Trebnitz, Silesia, and received his first formal training at the Berlin Academy between 1871 and 1873. He continued his studies in Munich with the architectural painter Angelo Quaglio, then set out on foot for Italy in 1874, living in Rome until 1876. Wuttke later became a master student of Eugen Dücker in Düsseldorf, refining the atmospheric landscape style that would define his career.  By 1885 he was working in Munich, though he spent much of his life traveling to the United States, North Africa, the Middle East, and China and Japan. In 1893 he visited the United States as part of a study/travel trip.

Renowned for his luminous landscapes and Orientalist scenes, Wuttke developed a broad international clientele. His vivid depictions of desert caravans, bustling markets, and sun-washed Mediterranean and Asian vistas brought him significant recognition, including commissions from Emperor Wilhelm II and Prince Henry of Prussia.