The subject was known in the nineteenth century as 'Lake Garda'. When the watercolour was shown at Agnew's in 1967 (No.79) it was pointed out that although frequently stated to have belonged to Charles Swinburne, the drawing in fact comes from the collection of John Leigh Clare, in whose sale it appeared, Christie's, 28 March 1868(97). It was subsequently owned by W. G. Rawlinson.