This painting is one of four, small, impressionistic views of St Paul's, Big Ben and Whitehall celebrating the Silver Jubilee of King George V. It was purchased by Queen Mary at the exhibition of 'New Paintings by Piero Sansalvadore' at the Fine Art Society, London in December 1938 (RCINs 404211-14).

Sansalvadore, a violinist and writer, turned to painting later in his life and moved from his native Italy to England in c. 1930. His work, often on a small scale, is clearly influenced by French Impressionism.