DOI Heft:
No. 298 (January 1918)
DOI Artikel:Gibson, Frank: Paul and Thomas Sandby
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.21264#0147
Paul and Thomas Sandby
PAUL AND THOMAS SANDBY.
BY FRANK GIBSON.
THE history of water-colour painting in
England can never be written or
spoken of without mentioning the
names of Paul and Thomas Sandby
in connexion with it. In fact, Paul Sandby has
often been called “ The Father of the British
Water-Colour School,” and the claim, though
not precisely true, is not at all inappropriate.
For at the time he began to paint there was
certainly no such thing as a British water-colour
school, and Alexander Cozens, one of the pioneers
of it, had only just arrived in England. Of
course water-colour was used in England and
Europe long before Paul Sandby’s youth. In
the seventeenth century the Dutch landscape
painters in oil, Phillip de’ Koninck and Van
Goyen, frequently worked in that medium.
Also it must not be forgotten that Van Dyck
made sketches of the English countryside in
water-colour. Gainsborough’s landscape draw-
ings, likewise, must have been familiar to Paul
Sandby and his brother Thomas. At any rate
they were not without models if they only knew
the work of the many topographical artists
who were so numerous and accomplished in the
eighteenth century. Though there is no record
where the brothers first got their training, they
both seemed to have been able from an early
age to draw and paint well in line and wash.
They were both born in Nottingham, Thomas
in 1721, and Paul in 1725. They must have
soon acquired a local reputation, for in 1741,
when Thomas was twenty years of age, and
Paul sixteen, they obtained, through the help
of their Member of Parliament, situations in the
drawing school at the Tower of London. The
drawing-room in the Tower at that time was
the old map or survey office for those engaged
as military draughtsmen, and they would there
be employed in making topographical views of
countries. Here their talents were apparently
soon appreciated, for in 1743 Thomas was
appointed draughtsman to the Chief Engineer
in Scotland. In 1746 he was fortunate enough
to be the first to convey to the Government
the news of the landing of the Pretender, and
thereupon to be appointed private secretary
and draughtsman to the Duke of Cumberland.
He was present at the Battle of Culloden, and
LXXII. No. 298.—January 1918
PAUL AND THOMAS SANDBY.
BY FRANK GIBSON.
THE history of water-colour painting in
England can never be written or
spoken of without mentioning the
names of Paul and Thomas Sandby
in connexion with it. In fact, Paul Sandby has
often been called “ The Father of the British
Water-Colour School,” and the claim, though
not precisely true, is not at all inappropriate.
For at the time he began to paint there was
certainly no such thing as a British water-colour
school, and Alexander Cozens, one of the pioneers
of it, had only just arrived in England. Of
course water-colour was used in England and
Europe long before Paul Sandby’s youth. In
the seventeenth century the Dutch landscape
painters in oil, Phillip de’ Koninck and Van
Goyen, frequently worked in that medium.
Also it must not be forgotten that Van Dyck
made sketches of the English countryside in
water-colour. Gainsborough’s landscape draw-
ings, likewise, must have been familiar to Paul
Sandby and his brother Thomas. At any rate
they were not without models if they only knew
the work of the many topographical artists
who were so numerous and accomplished in the
eighteenth century. Though there is no record
where the brothers first got their training, they
both seemed to have been able from an early
age to draw and paint well in line and wash.
They were both born in Nottingham, Thomas
in 1721, and Paul in 1725. They must have
soon acquired a local reputation, for in 1741,
when Thomas was twenty years of age, and
Paul sixteen, they obtained, through the help
of their Member of Parliament, situations in the
drawing school at the Tower of London. The
drawing-room in the Tower at that time was
the old map or survey office for those engaged
as military draughtsmen, and they would there
be employed in making topographical views of
countries. Here their talents were apparently
soon appreciated, for in 1743 Thomas was
appointed draughtsman to the Chief Engineer
in Scotland. In 1746 he was fortunate enough
to be the first to convey to the Government
the news of the landing of the Pretender, and
thereupon to be appointed private secretary
and draughtsman to the Duke of Cumberland.
He was present at the Battle of Culloden, and
LXXII. No. 298.—January 1918