The monumental size of Dawn and Twilight seem to indicate that they were commissioned for a sumptuous decor. Hubert Robert realized several similar arrangements, such as an ensemble of six panels commissioned by the Comte d’Artois (1757-1836) for the bathroom of the Bagatelle castle, in the Bois de Boulogne. One of the panels of this group, nowadays in the Metropolitan Museum, is dated 1784. Other fine examples are the « Principaux monuments de la France », four paintings made in 1787 for the salon of the Fontainebleau castle, nowadays in the Louvre Museum

Our Endymion is painted in a style that is similar to Giovanni Lanfranco (1582-1647), Pier Francesco Mola (1612-1666) and Giaquinto Brandi (1621-1691). Each one of these artists resided in Rome during the 1660’s; we therefore conclude that Troppa realized the Endymion rather early in his career.
Although the story of Endymion is one of the shortest in Greek mythology, it remains one of the most romantic. He was said to be a king, to others he was a hunter or even a shepherd, but all agree about his extreme beauty. When Selene, the Titan moon goddess, was driving her chariot across the sky one evening, her gaze fell upon Endymion, falling in love with him instantly. She believed him to be so handsome that she wanted to protect his beauty forever, therefore asking Endymion’s father Zeus to bestow eternal youth upon him, so he would never leave her. Too afraid he might abandon her after all, she convinced Zeus in putting Endymion into an eternal sleep. Some writers say it was Endymion himself who chose his eternal sleep. Every night, Selene visited him to watch him sleep.