In the 1890s the St Ives Weekly Summary published lists of visitors staying in the town. There were many artists and one of these, in the summer of 1892, was Frank Emanuel, who lived in London and travelled widely. After studying at the Slade and at Julien’s in Paris, he worked as a special artist with the Manchester Guardian, and wrote for the Architectural Review, being particularly interested in interiors and architecture in general. He was a Chief Examiner for the Royal Drawing Society, and also made etchings. This study is of dilapidated rooftops in the maze of narrow cobbled streets that wind around the harbour of St Ives, with the cupola and weathervane of Smeaton’s Pier Light above them. There is a boat in the yard.