Holford Hall, Cheshire

John Ralston 1789 - 1833

Summary

A pencil drawing of the double-arched bridge into Holford Hall in Cheshire. One stone-mullioned window of the hall is visible to the right, but a curved tree hides the upper storey of this half timbered building. Two men, one on horseback, are crossing the bridge in the direction of the hall. Cattle stand below on the river bank. The drawing technique is of hasty looped and zigzagged hatching, in a blunt dark graphite pencil, with foliage dwelt upon particularly. The foreground has rounded corners, to create a vignette effect. On the reverse are three sketches of a face, annotated 'Ralston lot at his sale. / R'. These, then, are presumably portraits of or by Ralston. One is in a red chalk pencil and the other two in graphite pencil. The two more finished faces wear a genial and enquiring expression, while the lower sketch in graphite is less finished, and the sitter appears to have a hand to his mouth in an an anxious gesture.