Italian Opera House, Haymarket

Shepherd was a watercolor artist well known for his architectural works. He was employed to illustrate architecture in London, and later Edinburgh, Bath and Bristol. His paintings were the basis for steel engravings in works such as 'Metropolitan improvements', a publication of modern London architecture commissioned by Jones & Co. This engraving comes from that work. Shepherd's work, mostly topographical, is characterized by an attention to detail, along with lifelike scenes that contained people, carriages and horses.