The Piazza at Havana

Dominic Serres painted this view of the Piazza at Havana in 1762, documenting the British occupation of Cuba during the Seven Years' War. The British captured Havana in August 1762 after a two-month siege, a significant colonial victory that was returned to Spain in the Treaty of Paris. Serres, who had personal experience of Caribbean waters, brought authentic knowledge to his depiction of colonial scenes.

Serres renders the Caribbean architecture and tropical light with a warm palette that conveys the unfamiliar setting. The topographical accuracy of the plaza and surrounding buildings provides a documentary record of colonial Havana during the British occupation.