A rare and interesting early drawing, in which the artist's characteristic style is not yet entirely formed, although his ability to capture mood and emotion are already highly developed. It was executed when he was apprenticed to the wood-engraver T.W.Whymper, at about the time that he began his career as an illustrator by working for Once a Week and the Cornhill Magazine. Walker was not to start exhibiting at the Royal Academy until 1863, and did not score his great success at the Old Water-Colour Society until 1864, when, on making his debut with a group of drawings at the spring exhibition, he was immediately elected an Associate.