The National Gallery and Saint Martin's Church in London

The National Gallery and Saint Martin's Church in London (1877), held by the Musée des Beaux-Arts de la Ville de Paris (Petit Palais), shows the north side of Trafalgar Square: the National Gallery (completed 1838) and St Martin-in-the-Fields (rebuilt 1726 by James Gibbs). De Nittis's choice to document these specific institutional buildings reflects his interest in London's distinctive architectural landmarks, just as he documented specific commercial addresses in Paris. The Gibbs steeple of St Martin-in-the-Fields is one of the most imitated church designs in the English-speaking world, and its juxtaposition with the Wilkins facade of the National Gallery summarises the cultural architecture of Georgian and early Victorian London in a composition of great civic significance and documentary value.

The composition handles two substantial stone buildings within the wide spaces of Trafalgar Square, balancing architectural precision with atmospheric treatment of London light. Pale Portland stone under overcast sky reflects subtle warm and cool tones, and the open square provides depth.