Allen Dean Cochran (American, 1888–1971) was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, and trained under two respected American artists of his era: Kenyon Cox (of Ohio) and Birge Harrison, both of whom were prominent members of the National Academy of Design. After his studies, Cochran moved from Ohio to Woodstock, New York, where he became a member of the early Woodstock art community and the Woodstock Artists Association, a hub for painters engaging with plein‑air and tonalist landscape traditions.

Cochran exhibited widely during his career, including at the National Academy of Design, the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. He was also a member of the Salmagundi Club in New York.