1830 - Richard Ford - Sketches
Long after I had written no less than four short illustrated essays on various editions of Richard Ford’s celebrated A Handbook for Travellers in Spain, I came across this:
Was it possible that the author of Ford’s obituary had short changed the man when he wrote that his book was
“. . . among the best . . . of travel, humour, history . . . politics and art, in the English language.”
Should he have insisted that by “art” he meant both the literary and the visual varieties? The authors of the article on Ford’s drawings also made an interesting point as regards these sketches.
Esos dibujos no tenían pretensiones artísticas, ni intereses editoriales o comerciales, como ocurría con otras vistas de ciudades y monumentos de España realizadas por destacados viajeros y artistas de aquel tiempo. A diferencia de ellos, Ford . . . para conocer y recordar, por simple curiosidad, fascinación o puro placer, para obtener un fiel registro de sus observaciones pocos años antes de la aparición de la fotografía.
"Retratos de Richard Ford como majo serio" (1832 - José Domínguez Bécquer)
Perhaps the best way to make up one’s mind is by having a look at some of the sketches I have posted below, or perhaps even better by checking the following link to the article in question. (LINK)
“Reaching the Rock of Gibraltar” (1830 – Richard Ford)
Ford Family Collection – From "Los Dibujos de Richard Ford. . . Gámiz and Pardo
“Apes Hill"” (1830 – Richard Ford)
Ford Family Collection – From "Los Dibujos de Richard Ford. . . Gámiz and Pardo
“Entrance into Gibraltar” (1830 – Richard Ford) Ford Family Collection – From "Los Dibujos de Richard Ford. . . Gámiz and Pardo
Gaucin and the Strait of Gibraltar (1830 - Richard Ford)
Ford Family Collection – From "Los Dibujos de Richard Ford. . . Gámiz and Pardo
“Gibraltar from Algeciras” (1830 – Richard Ford)
Ford Family Collection – From "Los Dibujos de Richard Ford. . . Gámiz and Pardo
“Gibraltar from the Rock above” (1830 – Richard Ford)
Ford Family Collection – From "Los Dibujos de Richard Ford. . . Gámiz and Pardo
“View of Neutral Ground from Willis Battery” (Richard Ford - 1830)
Ford Family Collection – Los Dibujos de Richard Ford . . . Gámiz and Pardo
North side of the Rock (1830 – Richard Ford)
FordFamily Collection – Los Dibujos de Richard Ford . . . Gámiz and Pardo
“Spanish lines” (1830 – Richard Ford)
Ford Family Collection – Los Dibujos de Richard Ford . . . Gámiz and Pardo
“Moorish Castle. Gibraltar” (1830 – Richard Ford)
Ford Family Collection – Los Dibujos de Richard Ford . . . Gámiz and Pardo
“Moorish Castle. Gibraltar” (1830)
Ford Family Collection – Los Dibujos de Richard Ford . . . Gámiz and Pardo
Arabs in Gibraltar (Richard Ford) (Richard Ford) Ford Family Collection – Los Dibujos de Richard Ford . . . Gámiz and Pardo
Jews, a porter and Spanish women in Gibraltar
Ford Family Collection – Los Dibujos de Richard Ford . . . Gámiz and Pardo
People of Gibraltar (Richard Ford)
Ford Family Collection – Los Dibujos de Richard Ford . . . Gámiz and Pardo
With thanks to Rafael Fernandez who pointed me in the right direction for this one as he has done for many of my other essays.
Thank you also to Antonio Gámiz Gordo and Juan Carlos Pardo Gonzaléz. I hope they will forgive me for using their wonderful work.
See als0 the following links.
1846 - Richard Ford - A Nasty Taste in the Mouth
1855 - Richard Ford - A Cloacal Nuisance
1855 - Richard Ford - Quotes
