Paul Sandby
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Paul Sandby (1725 – 9 November 1809) was an English map-maker turned landscape painter in water-colours, who, along with his older brother Thomas, became one of the founding members of the Royal Academy in 1768.
Born in Nottingham, Sandby joined the topographical drawing room of the Board of Ordnance at the Tower of London in the early 1740s and in 1746 was tasked with mapping the remote Scottish Highlands. While undertaking this exacting commission, he began producing water-colour landscapes and news of his talent soon spread.
In 1752, he took up a post with his brother producing landscapes of the royal estates at Windsor, and also began producing aquatint engravings, having been commissioned by Sir Joseph Banks to produce 48 plates depicting Welsh scenery. He also drew some caricatures ridiculing William Hogarth.
In 1768, he was appointed chief drawing master to the Royal Military Academy at Woolwich, a position he retained until 1799. He died in London ten years later and was described in his obituaries as 'the father of modern landscape painting in watercolours'.