This painting was inspired by the scenes of faith and devotion witnessed by Wilkie during his stay in Rome in 1827. It was one of the first in Wilkie’s new, broader style, inspired by his three-year continental tour. The only trace of his former style, characterised by meticulous brushwork and painstaking attention to detail, is the delicate handling of the silver ewer and basin at the foot of the steps. Purchased by George IV in 1828