Thomas Hartley Cromek (1809-1873), Cappella Maggiore, Basilica di Santa Croce, Florence, watercolour and bodycolour, over graphite, heightened with white, signed and dated 1838 lower left, on cream wove paper, sheet: 500 x 310 mm. (19 3/4 x 12 1/4 in), unframed

⁂ Cromek first travelled to Italy in 1830, where he accompanied his mother to Rome and Florence. The visit was to have a profound effect, with the artist spending much of the following 20 years of his career living and working there. While Cromek didn't illustrate all of Agnolo Gaddi's frescoes that adorn the front facing side of the arch, and the chancel screen illustrated is no longer in use, the architectural structure and the distinctive stained glass windows leave no doubt as to the location.