Humphry Repton. Pen ink and grey wash watercolour drawing Circa 1790. A View of The Rows at Chester. Provenance (by repute) the artists son George Repton, Squire Gallery 1954. Brandt Collection thence by descent. 27.5 by 22.3 cms.
Humphry Repton 1752-1818 is considered the last great English landscape designer of the eighteenth century, often regarded as the successor to Capability Brown.
The Rows are a set of medieval structures in each of the four main streets of Chester consisting of a series of covered walkways on the first floor behind which are entrances to shops and other premises. They remain largely intact and unchanged since this view was taken over 200 years ago.