Prince Hoare II, named after his sculptor uncle, entered the Royal Academy Schools in 1773 and embarked on a formative visit to Italy in 1776. He seems to have been particularly inspired by the city’s classical ruins, and an entire book of anatomical studies and sketches after Hellenistic sculpture can be found in the Victoria and Albert Museum (E.140-1947) in London. Additional loose sketches, presumably also from this journey, can be found in the collection of the Tate (T08958-T09015). Given the subject of the current drawing, it was likely made on site in Rome, for the subtleties of the shadows executed through the wash would be most effectively captured while in the Italian countryside. As such, this is a beautiful demonstration of the attractions of Rome for the 18th-century artist, as well as a demonstration of plein air sketching at its finest.