Famously referred to in his obituary as, “the father of modern landscape painting in watercolours”, Paul Sandby was born in Nottingham, the son of a weaver. There remains some confusion around Sandby’s exact birthdate with 1725 often given for his year of birth, although we know he was not baptised until 1731.
Like his older brother Thomas Sandby, Paul trained as a draughtsman and the two were employed by the military drawing department at the Tower of London in 1745. After the Jacobite uprising of that year, and its disastrous conclusion at Culloden the following April, both brothers spent time in Scotland surveying the roads and fortifications of the Scottish Highlands.
During his five-year stay, Paul spent much of his time sketching and painting the changing landscape of Scotland, reflecting developments since the Rebellion and documenting notable events of the time. One powerful example is Sandby’s ‘Scene at the execution of John Young’ a pen, ink and watercolour sketch of the hanging of the forger John Young at Edinburgh’s Grassmarket in 1751, now housed in the British Museum collection.
Sandby left Scotland that year, returning to London to stay with brother Thomas, who by now had been appointed to the role of Deputy Ranger at Windsor Great Park. Paul took the role of chief drawing master at the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, as well as taking private students including Queen Charlotte and the Royal princes.
In 1757 he married Miss Anne Stogden and the pair were recorded to be living in Broad Street, Carnaby Market by 1760. That same year, Sandby contributed to the first exhibition of the Society of Artists and became one of their first Directors in 1765.
Among his most profitable subjects of this period were the Twelve Cries of London, a series of satirical etchings depicting the costermongers of Georgian London. One of the 12, entitled ‘Rare Mackerel Three a Groat/Or Four for Sixpence’ can be seen here from the British Museum Collection.
He continued to produce a prolific volume of watercolour and gouache landscapes, which led him to move into printmaking. Paul successfully marketed his works in the cheaper, and highly collectable medium of aquatint, in which he was an early and passionate practitioner.
Windsor Castle and its environs were a common theme for Sandby who would capture the famous Royal landmark from every conceivable angle. One of my favourites is a vibrant depiction entitled, “View of Windsor Castle from Mr Isherwood's Brewhouse in Datchet Lane” currently housed in the Royal Collection.
Sandby travelled the length and breadth of the British Isles, finding subjects in stately homes, castles and cathedrals, abbeys, monasteries and ruins. He received great acclaim for his work, with fellow artist Thomas Gainsborough describing Paul as the leading proponent of, “real Views from Nature in this Country”. While King George III once noted that Sandby could turn his “hand to anything, like a fox”.
Unsurprisingly, Paul was one of the inaugural 28 members appointed by George III to the Royal Academy, upon its formation in 1768. He accepted the honour with typical diligence, regularly serving on the Academy’s council and contributing to almost every exhibition there from 1769-1809.
Critics of Sandby’s style have suggested that his interpretations are too literal and that he seldom took risks with his work. This can largely be explained by his financial circumstances. Unlike many of his contemporaries, Paul was not from a wealthy background and needed to make profit from his works. He could scarcely afford to squander the cost of materials on bold or ambitious interpretations that might not be well received. Indeed, despite his relative success, later in life Sandby relied on a pension from the Royal Academy to support his family.
Ultimately, his contribution to the development of watercolour painting should not be underestimated. Before Sandby’s time, watercolour was predominantly used to tint monochrome drawings with few colours available, often of poor quality and usually mixed by the artists themselves.
Sandy’s experimentations with pigment greatly enhanced the art form, advancing technique and demonstrating how effectively watercolour could be used to illustrate the varied effects of light and shadow.
Paul Sandby died at his Paddington home in 1809 and was buried at St George’s Church in Hanover Square. Fittingly, his bust is one of eight pioneering contemporaries whose sculptures adorn the former home of the Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colour at 192-196 Piccadilly.
Click here to view a selection of Sandby’s works currently available from BADA members.