Study of Horse Guards and Westminster, London, Autumn

It seems likely that the present watercolour dates from the 1830's, during a period in which Boys, whilst living in Paris, visited London frequently. Fascinated by the everyday lives of the city's inhabitants, he repeatedly turned to the city's parks as a microcosm of its life, and made several drawings of St. James's Park, amongst others. A view of Westminster Abbey from St. James's Park was sold in these Rooms 20 November 2013, lot 287, whilst another larger watercolour was with Walker's Galleries in 1935. The present drawing is perhaps that of Horse Guards, St. James's Park, which was exhibited at The Society of British Artists, Suffolk St., in 1830, no. 730. Boys returned to the park for his lithographed London as it is, 1842, although not to this particular viewpoint.