This black chalk drawing was made at Ronda in Andalucia, Spain in 1935. It shows houses at the top and foot of the rocky gorge found in the centre of the ancient town. David Bomberg first visited Spain when, partly inspired by his admiration for El Greco (1541-1614), he spent the autumn months of 1929 in Toledo. His companion and future wife, Lilian Holt (1898-1983), left their London home to join him. At that time she also travelled independently to southern Spain, visiting Ronda, which she fell in love with, although there was no thought then of living there. In 1934 they returned to Spain and Lilian, now pregnant, liked the idea of being near enough to Gibraltar to arrange for the baby to be born on British soil, so they rented a house at 9 San Juan de Letran in the old part of Ronda until October 1935. Bomberg had a solo exhibition at the Cooling Galleries, London in June-July 1936 which showed a comprehensive selection of work executed in Spain. 11 Ronda drawings were included, each with a specific title, but The City on the Rock, Evening, Ronda, Spain does not appear to be included in this show. Bomberg returned to Ronda in 1954, hoping to establish an art school and although the project failed he remained there until 1957, the year of his death.