A watercolour showing (on the right) the Emperor and Empress arriving in the royal box with Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, greeted by applause from the audience. Signed or inscribed at bottom left: 'Eugéne LAMI / & / DIETERLE.

In August 1855 Queen Victoria and Prince Albert spent ten days in Paris, on the invitation of Napoleon III and his wife Eugénie. The historic state visit was intended to celebrate the military alliance between Britain and France in the Crimean War, and followed a visit by the imperial couple to Windsor in April that year.

The Queen and Prince enjoyed a rapturous welcome during their State Visit. This watercolour, commissioned by the Emperor Napoleon III, records a gala performance of opera and ballet extracts given in their honour. The Queen and her companions can be seen arriving in the royal box at the right. The Queen enjoyed the lavish arrangements at the theatre, particularly the richly decorated box in which they sat. But she was unimpressed with the performance, which she thought too long. Diéterle, who had trained as a stage designer, painted the architecture, and the society painter Lami was responsible for the figures.

Text adapted from Victoria & Albert: Art & Love, London, 2010