However, the vogue for panoramas was coming to an end, and when the company operating it went bust in 1886, Mesdag purchased the painting at auction and thereafter funding its operating losses from his own pocket.
Imidlertid var moden med panoramaer ved at være slut, og da virksomheden bag gik fallit i 1886, købte Mesdag maleriet på auktion og finansierede derefter dets driftstab fra hans egen lomme.