The Great Staircase, Stafford House (now Lancaster House)

Roberts's Great Staircase of Stafford House (now Lancaster House) from around 1832 documents one of the most spectacular aristocratic interiors in London—the palatial interior of the Duchess of Sutherland's townhouse that was among the finest private houses in Britain. Grand interior subjects like this were a distinct category of Roberts's production alongside his ecclesiastical and oriental work, demonstrating his ability to apply his architectural skills to the documentation of living aristocratic spaces as well as historical monuments. Stafford House was the most important private building in London after Buckingham Palace, and its great staircase hall—a theatrical space of marble and gilt that served as the backdrop for the Duchess of Sutherland's celebrated social and political gatherings—provided Roberts with a subject of exceptional splendor.

The grand staircase is rendered with meticulous attention to architectural detail—columns, balustrades, and ornamental plasterwork. Roberts's handling of interior light creates a sense of spacious grandeur.