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This story by the Roman historian Livy resurrected during the Renaissance became one of the most well-known examples of nobility and generosity and a popular subject in literature and art. The story described the Roman General Scipio Africanus, who after conquering Cartagena during the Second Punic War returned a young woman he had received as a prize of war to her fiancé, along with the money that had been offered by her parents to ransom her. In the painting depicting this scene, Van Mander applied bold colors in superb contrast to the landscape in the background. A Flemish painter active in Italy and Haarlem, Holland, Karel van Mander helped established an academy of draftsmanship that extended the tradition of Mannerism into the 17th century. His highly acclaimed "Schilder-boeck" from 1604 remains a primary resource for the study of old Netherlandisch painting. Van Mander's student was Frans Hals. Restored. Expert assessment by Klaus Ertz.