Le Pont de la Concorde with the Tuileries from the Cours de la Reine, Paris, France

Bonington executed numerous watercolours of Parisian views in the last two years of his life. He had moved to Calais with his family in 1817 and later settled in Paris. Thomas Shotter Boys (1803-1874), who was Bonington's constant companion at this time, also illustrated the same view of the Seine. It has been suggested that the two artists painted this view from nature, sitting side by side. For further details of Boys's versions of this view, see J. Roundell, Thomas Shotter Boys, 1974, London, p. 72. Two other versions of the present watercolour, one by Boys and one by Bonington, were sold in these Rooms, 14 July 1998, lot 73 and 17 November 2005, lot 89 respectively.

We are grateful to Patrick Noon for his help in preparing this catalogue entry.