Literature: "Smaa Kunstbøger nr. 1”, Cph. 1910, ill. p. 12. Ernst Mentze, ”P. S. Krøyer. Kunstner af stort format – med brændte vinger”, Det Schønbergske Forlag 1969, p. 66, 69, 70. Finn Terman Frederiksen, ”Mødested i Paris. 1880’ernes avant-garde”, Randers Kunstmuseum, 1983, ill. p. 37. Lise Svanholm, ”Laurits Tuxen. Europas sidste fyrstemaler”, Cph. 1990, mentioned p. 28, 31. Peter Michael Hornung, ”Realismen”, Ny Dansk Kunsthistorie, Vol. 4, Cph. 1993, mentioned and ill. p. 11. Elisabeth Fabritus, “Michael Ancher og det moderne gennembrud”, 1999, mentioned and ill. p. 28. Peter Michael Hornung, “Peder Severin Krøyer”, 2002, ill. p. 96, mentioned p. 97, 100–105. Annette Johansen, ”Mellan tradition och modernitet. Krøyers stora figurmålingar från reseåren 1887–1881” in ”Marie och P. S. Krøyer”, Göteborgs Konstmuseum, 2005–06, p. 14. Marianne Saabye, “Det akademiske mesterstykke” in the exhibition catalogue “Krøyer i internationalt lys”, The Hirschsprung Collection & The Art Museums of Skagen, 2011, mentioned p. 21, 23. Katrine Halkier, “Katalog. 1877–79 Paris og Bonnats atelier” in the exhibition catalogue “Krøyer i internationalt lys”, The Hirschsprung Collection & The Art Museums of Skagen, 2011, mentioned and ill. p. 169. Here, Halkier writes about the painting (in Danish): “When Krøyer came back to Paris after a long stay in Spain, Bonnat recommended that he ended his studies in Paris by painting a large classical composition to be shown at the upcoming Salon. Krøyer sought advice about his painting from his well-read friend and colleague, Karl Madsen. The latter had recently read the Greek poet Longus' classic shepherd's tale about Daphnis and Chloe and suggested this young couple in love as a motif for Krøyer. At the Salon in France the painting did not arouse much interest. The Danish audience, however, received the picture with greater goodwill. When the painting was exhibited in Copenhagen in 1879 in the Industrial Exhibition Building, a critic wrote about the exhibition in Ude og Hjemme on 27 July and highlighted Krøyer's Daphnis and Chloe as the ”Masterpiece“. The critic continued: ”In terms of spiritual content as well as the handling of the lines and in general the entire painterly execution, the work is one of the significant artist's very best“”. Dominique Lobstein, “'A lover of light' under the skies of Paris” in “The Blue Hour of Peder Severin Krøyer”, Musée Marmottan Monet, Paris, 2021, mentioned p. 51–52, ill. p. 52. The Art Museums of Skagen, “Krøyer og Paris. Franske forbindelser og nordiske toner”, 2022, mentioned p. 44–45, 194–195, ill. p. 197.

Provenance: Conference council (konferensråd) and factory owner Wilh. Jørgensen (1910, 1923). Sculptor Viggo Jarl, his estate auction Bruun Rasmussen 183, 1965 no. 21, ill. p. 53. Private collection in Germany (1992–93). The painting has been deposited at The Art Museums of Skagen from 1995 to August 2008. Bruun Rasmussen Vejle auction 117, 2009 no. 317. The collection of Louis Nielsen (2012).

Krøyer had his debut as an exhibitor at the Salon in Paris in 1879 with the present painting, which was done during his student years with the French painter Léon Bonnat (1833–1922). “Daphnis and Chloe” by the Greek writer Longus (2nd century AD) is the love story between two foundlings who are both found and raised by shepherds. The painting is one of Krøyer's only attempts at the French salon style. He subsequently abandoned history painting and mythological scenes and instead turned his focus to the naturalistic plein-air painting that Krøyer is associated with today.