This piece nearly cost the Doctor his liberty. Whilst slaving with his pencils at the great portrait of Richlieu in the National Gallery, London, for the purpose of ensuring a decent setting and fitting robes for his subject, he was molested, nay, challenged by a guard, suspicious of the Doctor’s satchel, momentarily abandoned, while he examined a fold of cloth more closely. Not appreciating the Doctor’s comment about the contents of the bag, he threatened to “take” the Doctor “in”.
“I should have boxed the fellow’s ears”, said the Doctor later, clearly still upset at his persecutor’s inability to see the funny side of TNT.
We must be grateful he didn’t, otherwise we would not have this, which some people have described as the Doctor’s biggest canvas (I don’t know why – it isn’t)