David Roberts' only child, Christine, who married Henry Sanford Bicknell, recorded the gift of this picture in her Journal on 1 September 1848: 'My Father sent me a most acceptable present of two little pictures wh[ich] he has done for my last birthday, ... a view of Mont St Michael.' (The other painting was an imaginary interior of a church; Ballantine, op.cit., p.250, no.153). This picture, which was not exhibited, was one of several views that Roberts painted of Mont St Michel. Indeed he exhibited another at the Royal Academy the same year (Mount St Michael, Coast of Normandy, no.329). This was sold to James Foster of Stourton Castle, Stourbridge, for ¨250 (frame included), being exchanged for an Egyptian view, and is probably the picture that Christine recorded as started on 4 January 1845. There are two other views recorded but not traced: Mount St Michael, Brittany, 1843 (19½ x 24in.; bought by Agnew's at the artist's studio sale in 1865 and last heard of in 1881) and Mount St Michael, Coast of Normandy, 1856 (27 x 45in.; last recorded when sold at Christie's in 1905).

We are grateful to Helen Guiterman for her help in preparing this entry.