Patch was a view painter, caricaturist, connoisseur and dealer, who spent his adult life in Italy, appearing prominently in Zoffany’s ‘Tribuna’ (RCIN 406983). This is one of a pair of Arno views (RCIN 403518 and 403534) of identical size and date, one depicting the city by by day (dated 1763) and this one by night. Here we see the view from Lungarno Guicciardini looking up Arno past Ponte S.Trinità to Ponte Vecchio beyond with spectators on bridges and river banks watching fireworks from tower of Palazzo Vecchio. In the distance to the left the Duomo and Campanile are illuminated; a full moon visible through cloudy sky. This perhaps depicts the celebrations of the annual festival of the patron saint of Florence, St John the Baptist, which took place on the 24th June, almost the shortest night of the year.