In this intimate and immediate watercolour, Scott shows his friend William Dyce sketching in a gondola, with the domes and towers of Venice behind him. The blanket over his knees suggests that it is a chilly day out on the lagoon. This was the Aberdonian artist's third trip to Italy and the study of early Italian painting was a crucial influence on his own style. Later in his career he was associated with the younger group of artists known as the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, who shared his delight in meticulous detail.