31. Dec, 2021
Paul Sandby: an early record of the Highlands
Sandby left a large number of sketches depicting life in Scotland at that time, making his archive of particular importance as an early record of life in the Highlands. It is not clear how far north he travelled, but his engraving of Inverness suggests he saw a fair bit of the country. His images of the Ordnance Survey team provide rare depictions of early mapping, while his sketches of Highland life in general are full of interest. I urge you to seek them out online if you do not know them. Many of them are in the British Museum.
Paul Sandby ranks with the finest watercolour artists of the 18th century in Great Britain. Between 1746 - 1751, he was appointed draughtsman to the survey of Scotland being carried out by General Roy. This was a military exercise, ordered after the Battle of Culloden when it was realised that there were no detailed maps of the far north of the country. The result was one of the most remarkable maps ever made, rather "a magnificent military sketch than a very accurate map of the country" in the words of the General himself. All the artwork was supervised by Sandby, working from the Ordnance office at Edinburgh Castle, and in London.
My collection is rather more modest. However, I thought it worth adding it to this website, and will post the images today as a photo album.
Happy New Year to one and all, and I hope 2022 is the year in which my book at last becomes available!