Howard Behrens was born in Chicago, Illinois in 1933. Behrens grew up near Washington D.C. , and started drawing at the age of seventeen after being bed ridden from a sledding accident. Behrens earned a Master's degree in painting and sculpture from the University of Maryland. He traveled extensively, proliferating his talent and developing new techniques. Behrens was renowned as a palette knife artist, through his rich, distinctive and textured style. "Bellagio Promenade" has all the hallmarks of Behrens artistic tendencies, the impressionistic landscape comes alive with layers of vibrant paint applied to the canvas. The original painting captured a romanticized view of the Italian village of Bellagio overlooking Lake Como. The centered promenade is surrounded by lush floral greenery, lawn chairs and street lights. Two pedestrians are depicted strolling in the far distance. To the upper left of the promenade the village buildings are prominent figures, they are an intentional part of the foreground and dot the surrounding coastal landscape. Lake Como is another distinct feature, directly to the right of the promenade, which is accentuated by a single pier and bow of a boat. Hills are depicted as a hazy part of the background. The artist signature "BEHRENS" is located in the lower right corner.