After he arrived back in London in May 1903, Roberts painted several modest landscapes in a restricted palette, with Whistlerian nuances, such as The towpath, Putney and this work. But unlike Whistler, Roberts did not adopt a radical viewpoint for his composition. He sought a subtle harmony of muted tones using complementary touches of grey to convey mood and atmosphere, and thereby evoking the Thames enveloped in mist. The view is likely to be the right bank of the river looking downstream, towards the stone arch of Putney Bridge, with the church and tower of St Mary’s.