A watercolour and bodycolour drawing of two Italian peasant boys, within a decorative gold surround. Signed, inscribed and dated: "R. Buckner f / Rome". On brown paper, which has been laid down on cream paper watermarked "J WHATMAN / 1844".

This is one of six works acquired by Prince Albert c. 1842 to be set into panels in the north door of his dressing room at Windsor Castle. In 1844 Queen Victoria then presented Prince Albert with another six works by Buckner for the panels of the west door in the same room (RCINs 922508-12; one of this series is untraced). Both series were still in position in 1928 and can be seen in photographs of the room's interior taken at that date, but were subsequently removed and placed in the Royal Library.

Buckner, who was a painter of portraits and Italian peasants, was patronised extensively by the Royal family, particularly in the 1840s. Another set of works was purchased by Queen Victoria, probably in 1845, for the east door panels in Prince Albert's dressing room, though only three of these can now be identified (RCINs 922499, 922500 and 922501).