Carl Joseph Begas (attributed To) : “la Lorelei”

Carl Joseph Begas (1794-1854) (attributed to) : "The Lorelei," oil on prepared metal plate, 23.9 x 19.2 cm, presented in a handsome, unfortunately damaged, fluted frame, 40 x 34 cm.
The plate supplier's mark is stenciled in red on the reverse, along with an old label, the inscriptions of which are unfortunately faded. A test varnish removal was carried out in the upper right corner by the previous owner.
A German painter, Begas traveled to Italy in 1822, where he joined the Nazarene group.
The subject of this painting is known from a large version of 1835, located in Heinsberg, Germany, the artist's hometown.
The Lorelei, a kind of Rhine siren who combs herself on a large rock by the river and lures sailors to their doom with her song, is one of the most popular German legends and is known from numerous versions.
Our painting, contemporary with its larger counterpart, possesses a finesse almost impossible to capture in a photograph due to a micro-cracked varnish that diffuses the light.
However, rest assured that every detail is rendered with great precision, qualities that lead me to believe it could be an autograph work by Begas, perhaps a "ricordo" given to a friend.
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