Ruskin considered the town of Bellinzona, 'on the whole, the most picturesque in Switzerland, being crowned by three fortresses, standing on isolated rocks of noble form, while the buildings are full of beautiful Italian character'. The group of eight subjects shown here derive from the visits Turner made to Bellinzona in 1842 and 1843, the use of warmer colours relating to the second visit. In 1845 Ruskin wrote to his father while on a visit to the Swiss town: 'Bellinzona fine in form, but Turner's single sketch worth the whole valley with all the towns in it'. The sketch he had in mind was no.48, which he felt surpassed the finished version produced for H.A.J.Munro of Novar (Aberdeen Art Gallery).