Early Life and Artistic Training Born on November 10, 1828, in Frankfurt am Main, Peter Becker entered a world of modest means. He was raised within the narrow, bustling streets of the Frankfurt Altstadt, coming from an impoverished household that offered little in the way of material comfort. His father, perhaps hoping to secure a more stable future for his son, urged him to pursue a commercial apprenticeship. For a time, the young man followed this path, attempting to learn the practicalities of trade and commerce. Yet, the pull of the brush proved stronger than the demands of the ledger.…