Shortly after returning from a period of several years in Italy, the Lincoln-born Logsdail was thrilled and impressed by the spectacle of the Lord Mayor's Show on November 9 1887. He determined to paint a big picture of the subject, the largest he had attempted up to that point and chose to depict the procession as it passed the Mansion House (not visible, on the right hand side) with the Royal Exchange in the centre background and the Bank of England on the left.
As well as professional models and London 'types', Logsdail also
incorporated some of his friends including the painter J W Waterhouse in a brown bowler hat. The picture had cost Logsdail about £500 in labour, models and materials - he said the frame alone had cost him £40 - and he was anxious to sell it for a good price when it was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1890. He refused an offer of £800, and was disappointed when the picture remained unsold. Eventually, Sir James Whitehead, whose Mayoral procession it had been, offered to buy the picture for £500, and Logsdail agreed on the understanding that it was to be presented to Guildhall Art Gallery. However, Sir James decided to keep the picture and it was not until after his death that his younger son sold it to the Corporation for £250.