As described by F. Kuyvenhoven in the catalogue of the 1984 exhibition, the road between Ariccia and Gensano to the south of Rome was much used by travellers on their way to the lake at Nemi, Terracina and Naples. It was well known for its very old trees and the view over the lake of Albano, and was often depicted by artists in Italy. Van der Willigen, who included an engraving after Grandjean of this road in his diaries published in 1811-3, wrote in his diary of 1804 on the way to Naples: 'Voorts reden wij eene aanzienlijke hoogte op en bereikten het bevallig gelegen dorp Aricia... men heeft 'er veel [bomen] en daar onder zwaar geboomte, iets dat ik tot hiertoe in Italië nog maar schaarsch had aangetroffen. Met genoegen vertoefde wij dan ook eene wijl in dit lommerrijk en romanesk landschap en verlustigden ons met de beschouwing der schilderachtige gezigten.'
The small church in the background is Santa Maria of Galloro designed by Bernini in 1624 and completed in 1661