Equestrian Sculpture

L.J. Rouse was a freelance writer in Toronto.

Ralph Sketch, a world adventurer and a fugitive from the insurance business, follows the unusual avocation of equestrian sculpture. This combined autobiography and illustrated description of his impressive works in bronze, is both extremely readable and very informative. Sketch has an easy, gently ironic style that lends this account of a varied and eventful life the page-turning charm of a well-written novel. The story of his work as a sculptor is only less fascinating than the photographs of some of his more important works. As promised by the title, most of his pieces feature horses, whether as part of a portrait group, such as “Montcalm at the St. Louis Gate,” Edgar Dewdney, western trail blazer, or an unnamed Nova Scotia pioneer couple with their plough horse. Some sculptures, such as that of Simon Fraser in his canoe, or Alexander Mackenzie leaning on a rock to gaze at the newly discovered Pacific, or Laura Secord with her famous if possibly mythical cow, demonstrate his versatility. An attractive work on a very unusual subject.