Lord Brudenell was in Italy on the Grand Tour from c.1754 to 1760, where he sat for portraits by Batoni and Mengs (see the Washington exhibition catalogue, nos.173 and 174) and in c.1756 began to commission from Joli a large series of views of towns which he had visited. This collection was subsequently kept at Montagu House, London, and after Lord Brudenell's death without issue passed by inheritance to the Dukes of Buccleuch and the Lords Montagu of Beaulieu. Eight of the views are at Bowhill, while sixteen remain at Beaulieu, and fourteen have been sold from there (Christie's, 2 May 1958, lots 43-51, and 11 April 1975, lots 60-62). A view of Venice from the series was resold in these Rooms, 21 April 1989, lot 99