Paul Sandby (1731–1809)

This 1789 portrait of Paul Sandby depicts the watercolorist often called the father of English watercolor painting. Sandby's topographic views and his development of the aquatint process profoundly influenced British landscape art, and this portrait records his appearance in his later years. As a full Royal Academician and royal portrait painter, Beechey occupied a central position in Georgian portraiture, providing reliable and dignified likenesses for a wide range of aristocratic, professional

The fellow artist is portrayed with collegial warmth and respect, the face rendered with careful characterization that conveys the sitter's creative intelligence.