Pyne describes the picture as follows in his autograph work-record, or 'Picture Memoranda', beginning the entry in November 1856: Commenced on an old finished watercolour painting in Mr Hawkes' Anglo medium Colours, and varnished three times on the three successive days immediately on competition, and again in about a week from the last varnishing, the absorbency of the paper and the colours being very great. After this experiment, induced Mr Hawkes to make some modification in the preparation of the Colours, by which they may bear out more in painting, and require less varnish afterwards. Altho my varnishing in this case was premature, under an anxiety to realise the possible force of the colours, at the risk of spoiling a picture.
Took up this picture again April 5. 57 and repainted it again thinly, in - principally - very dilute copal varnish.