Hubert Robert, also known as “Robert des ruines”, is associated with picturesque views from Rome. Soon after his return to France in 1765, he received commissions to design gardens. Robert used his paintings both as advertising images to show to clients and as working documents for his various collaborators. These two views show several different features which Robert created in 1786–94 for the marquis-banker Jean-Joseph de Laborde at Méréville.