Paul Sandby

Paul Sandby (1731-1809) is widely regarded as one of the founding figures of English landscape painting and a pioneering artist in the development of watercolour as a respected artistic medium. His life and work spanned a period of extraordinary change in Britain, both culturally and artistically, and his contributions helped to elevate landscape painting from a craft to a high art form.

Born in Nottingham, Sandby moved to London as a young man, following his older brother, Thomas Sandby, who would also become a prominent artist and architect. Paul Sandby’s early career was shaped by his employment at the Board of Ordnance, where he worked as a draughtsman and map-maker. This role took him to Scotland in the wake of the Jacobite Rebellion of 1745, where he created detailed topographical drawings of the Scottish Highlands. This experience not only honed his technical skills but also ignited his lifelong fascination with landscape.

In the 1750s, Sandby began to turn his attention from purely topographical work to more expressive and artistic representations of the British countryside. He was among the first artists to recognise the potential of watercolour as a medium for serious landscape painting. Prior to this, watercolours were often used for preliminary sketches or topographical records, but Sandby’s refined technique and aesthetic sensibility demonstrated the medium’s ability to capture the subtleties of light, atmosphere, and texture. His works from this period, depicting scenes from Windsor Great Park and the picturesque landscapes of Wales, are celebrated for their clarity, delicate washes, and keen observation of nature.

Sandby’s artistic output was not limited to watercolours; he was also a skilled printmaker, producing numerous engravings and aquatints. His satirical prints, in particular, reveal a sharp wit and a keen eye for social observation, aligning him with the broader tradition of British satirical art epitomised by William Hogarth. Yet, it is his landscapes that remain his most enduring legacy.

A founding member of the Royal Academy of Arts in 1768, Sandby played a crucial role in promoting the status of landscape painting within the British art establishment. He was an influential teacher, holding the position of chief drawing master at the Royal Military Academy in Woolwich for over thirty years. Through his instruction and example, he inspired a generation of British artists, including the likes of Thomas Girtin and J.M.W. Turner, who would go on to transform the landscape genre.

Sandby’s approach combined a sensitive appreciation of natural beauty with a meticulous attention to detail, reflecting the Enlightenment ideals of observation and reason. His work often evokes a sense of tranquillity and order, portraying the British landscape as a place of harmony and gentle grandeur.

Paul Sandby died in London in 1809, leaving behind a substantial body of work that continues to be admired for its technical mastery and poetic vision. Today, he is remembered as the ‘father of English watercolour’, a testament to his pivotal influence on the art of landscape and the wider appreciation of watercolour painting in Britain.