Kangchenjunga rises some 40 miles north of Darjeeling in the Himalayas. Lear was in India from November 1873 until January 1875 and arrived at Darjeeling in the middle of January 1874; in his diary for 17 January he exclaims 'Wonderful wonderful view of Kinchinjunga' (Ray Murphy, ed, Edward Lear's Indian Journal, 1953, p. 63). The composition of this watercolour is not the same as that of Lear's 'egg' (numbered '90') but the inscription of that work suggests the relevance of this view: 'Breadths of tropic shade, and palms in cluster' (cf. Locksley Hall). Lear did use the composition of this watercolour for the large oil he painted for Lord Aberdare (46 7/8 x 70 7/8in.; Cynon Valley Borough Council; exh. R.A. 1985, no. 63, repr.) and two further oils for Louise, Lady Ashburton and Lord Northbrook (both in U.S. private collections)