Throughout his career as a painter, Edward Cooke travelled extensively in Europe, visiting France, Holland, Italy, Spain, North Africa and Scandinavia. Paintings and drawings resulted from all his travels, but it is evident that the places that provided the strongest fascination for him besides the southern coastline of England were the beaches and estuaries of Holland and the topography of Venice and Italy.

This pencil drawing was made during his first Mediterranean tour of 1845–46, when he travelled through the south of France, to Florence, Rome, Salerno and Capri. In this polished and evocative view of Rome Cooke shows his meticulous accuracy with the ability to capture light and atmosphere. Working quickly against evening light, he has blocked in the dark tones of the buildings, including the celebrated landmarks Castel Sant’Angelo and the basilica of St Peter’s, but shows less concern with these architectural monuments than with the effects of fading light on the water.