DAVID ROBERTS (1796-1864)
On the Bridge of Toledo, Madrid
signed and dated 1832RCIN 453588
In 1832–3, attracted by the reported wildness of the countryside and the remains of Moorish architecture, Roberts made a visit to Spain. Unlike Italy, where he had initially planned to go at this time, Spain was little visited by tourists, and Roberts was one of the first British artists to travel there. He returned with over two hundred sketches. The two watercolours by Roberts on this wall were purchased by Queen Elizabeth from a London dealer in 1939.