Turner used rags and sometimes old bread to sponge and scrape paint off paper to achieve the desired effects of light and mist. Here he conveys the grandeur of the Italian Alpine range in relation to the strategically positioned castle and other buildings in the valley. Although their construction and that of the road which links them and the bridge spanning the river represent a considerable human achievement, they also serve to emphasise the insignificance of man-made structures in comparison to those of nature. This view is based on several sketches made in 1836.