La Rue St. Denis, Paris probably 1802 Thomas Girtin 1775-1802 Pencil and watercolour on laid paper Lent from a Private Collection

Room 7 La Rue St Denis, Paris During the brief lull in the Napoleonic Wars there was a vogue in London for theatrical productions set in Paris. This watercolour was produced for one of these, Thomas Dibdin's pantomime Harlequin's Habeas. Girtin adapted one of the sketches he had made in Paris. His drawing would then have been handed to professional scene painters to transfer the design to canvas. The production opened after Girtin's death and the sets attracted much praise from the press.