1 8 4 3 , ▁Mason ▁left ▁England ▁with ▁his ▁brother ▁Mil es ▁on ▁a ▁trip ▁through ▁France , ▁Switzerland , ▁and ▁Italy ▁- ▁the ▁journey ▁was ▁mainly ▁done ▁on ▁foot . ▁They ▁reached ▁Rome ▁in ▁the ▁aut umn ▁of ▁ 1 8 4 5 , ▁and ▁George ▁took ▁a ▁studio ▁there . ▁Fin an cial ▁difficulties ▁at ▁home ▁soon ▁comp elled ▁him ▁and ▁his ▁brother ▁to ▁f end ▁for ▁themselves , ▁and ▁he ▁made ▁a ▁living ▁painting ▁port ra its ▁of ▁the ▁English ▁in ▁Rome , ▁and ▁more ▁particularly ▁of ▁their ▁horses ▁and ▁dogs , ▁for ▁which ▁he ▁had ▁a ▁natural ▁talent . ▁ ▁Despite ▁a ▁serious ▁ill ness ▁and ▁severe ▁pover ty , ▁Mason ' s ▁spirits ▁never ▁s ank , ▁and ▁when ▁the ▁Italian ▁war ▁broke ▁out ▁in ▁ 1 8 4 8 , ▁he ▁helped ▁to ▁tend ▁the ▁wounded . ▁His ▁brother ▁Mil es ▁entered ▁Gar ib ald i ' s ▁army ▁as ▁a ▁volunte er , ▁and ▁eventually ▁became ▁a ▁captain . ▁During ▁the ▁ 1 8 4 9 ▁Sie ge ▁of ▁Rome , ▁Mason ▁and ▁two ▁fellow - art ists , ▁George ▁Thomas ▁( 1 8 2 4 – 1 8 6 8 ), ▁an ▁accomplished ▁illustr ator ▁who ▁worked ▁for ▁the ▁Illustr ated ▁London ▁News , ▁and ▁Murray ▁( s ic ), ▁were ▁arrested ▁as ▁sus pected ▁sp ies , ▁and ▁narrow ly ▁escaped ▁death . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 5 1 , ▁Mason ▁made ▁a ▁tour ▁of ▁the ▁Sab ine ▁and ▁C io ci