Valetta, Malta

This view was made from the public gardens in Valetta in Malta called the Barracca Gardens, looking towards the Manoel Island. The buildings illustrated are the Manoel Fortress and the Lazaretto of San Rocco. Lear stayed in Valetta from 25 May until 31 May 1862 whilst returning to England from Corfu. He wrote to Chichester Fortescue on 29 May that he "drew constantly on the Barracca point - meaning to paint a picture thereof one day."