Updated November 2026 · ranked by our popularity score (searches, visits and orders for each work) · 79 works by Paul Sandby in our catalogue
In short
Of all the originals Paul Sandby left, the most famous is Man standing in a landscape. Close behind it come Horse Fair on Bruntsfield Links, Edinburgh (1750) and London Cries: A Muffin Man (1759). Our catalog holds 79 works by Paul Sandby; the gallery has kept the 79 the world admires most, each shown with its date, its museum and its story.
Paul Sandby presents a quiet study in Man standing in a landscape. The work captures a gentleman in period clothing, frozen in a three-quarter pose. He looks toward the left, his figure occupying much of the vertical space against a simplified rural scene. The man remains the central focus, a solitary presence amidst the soft suggestions of buildings and structures on the horizon.
Paul Sandby: The Father of Modern Landscape Painting Paul Sandby RA stands as a pivotal figure in the history of British landscape painting, recognized not merely for his artistic skill but for establishing a new aesthetic tradition that profoundly impacted subsequent generations. Born in Nottingham to Thomas Sandby, a textile worker, Paul’s early life was marked by self-education and an innate fascination with observation—qualities that would prove instrumental in shaping…
This evocative drawing, titled "London Cries: A Muffin Man," transports the modern viewer directly into the bustling, atmospheric heart of 18th-century London. The scene is rendered with a captivating immediacy that speaks volumes about daily commerce and human interaction. At the center moves the muffin man, his basket laden with tempting goods, embodying a moment of everyday ritual. His figure, complete with a distinctive hat and mustache, anchors the composition,…
This watercolor on paper, titled Windsor Castle from the Great Park, offers a quiet glimpse into the English landscape through the eyes of Paul Sandby. The work captures the castle as it sits within its surrounding parkland, viewed through a screen of foreground foliage. It is a piece that reflects the artist's deep connection to the terrain, specifically the areas around Windsor where he spent significant time sketching and observing…
Miss Marsden - back view by Paul Sandby presents a focused portrait study of a woman viewed from behind. The subject is captured in period attire, emphasizing the silhouette and structural details of 19th-century fashion. Her clothing consists of a fitted bodice and a long skirt finished with a ruffled hem.
Paul Sandby’s “The Laterna Magica,” painted in 1760, isn't merely a depiction of a room; it’s a meticulously crafted illusion, a vibrant snapshot of a world fascinated by the burgeoning technology of optical projection. More than just a charming scene of gentlemen observing a theatrical display, this watercolor offers a profound glimpse into the intellectual and social currents of 18th-century England – a period grappling with scientific advancement, artistic convention,…
Paul Sandby's "London Cries: A Man with a Bottle," painted in 1759, isn’t merely a depiction of a street scene; it’s a vibrant, almost theatrical window into the bustling heart of eighteenth-century London. This watercolor, now meticulously reproduced as a hand-painted artwork by WahooArt, captures a moment of everyday commerce and perhaps, a touch of wry observation, offering a glimpse into the lives of ordinary people within the grand tapestry…
Paul Sandby's watercolor, “The Meteor of August 18, 1783,” isn’t merely a depiction of a fleeting astronomical event; it’s a window into the collective wonder and scientific curiosity of late 18th-century England. Painted from the East Angle of the North Terrace at Windsor Castle, the scene captures a pivotal moment – the transit of a meteor across the night sky – as observed by a small group of onlookers. The…
Study of a coachmanNational Portrait Gallery of Sweden
12
Thomas Sandby and His Family
13
A Group of Four Children, with Dogs
14
The Bayswater Road, Paddington
15
Sketch of an elegant lady
16
Two Coaches with Passengers
17
View of the Powder Magazine in Hyde Park
18
A riverside landscape
19
Back of the Public House near Bayswater
20
Windsor Park
21
A Sleeping Woman; Study of a Head
22
Travelers Entering a Town
23
Ross Castle, Killarney, with villagers on a ferryboat
24
Windsor Great Park
25
St. George's Gate, Canterbury
26
Rochester, Kent
27
Views of Windsor Castle
28
The Iron Forge between Dolgelli and Barmouth 1
29
The Light Steps, Hastings
30
An Italianate landscape with women washing clothes
31
The Cemetery Gate of St Augustine's Monastery Canterbury
32
The Encampment in St James's Park
33
A Boy Crawling on the Floor
34
A mother and child seated in a garden
35
A wooded river landscape with figures and cattle, a castle beyond
36
The North Terrace of Windsor Castle looking west
37
Naval post with three soldiers
38
Part of the Banqueting Hall of the Royal Palace at Eltham
39
Man driving a donkey, and man leading a cart
40
Woolwich from the Conduit Hill, the Thames estuary beyond
41
Young lady writing at a table
42
A rural landscape
43
A cottage by a river with figures in the foreground
44
The garden front of Old Somerset House, London
45
Henry VIII Gateway, Windsor Castle
46
Young boy on a see-saw
47
Children on a see-saw
48
Young man, seated, holding a riding crop
49
Two of the artist's children with their nurse, seated in a garden
50
The Iron Forge between Dolgelli and Barmouth
51
View from a London terrace
52
Windsor Castle: The Round Tower, Royal Court and Devil1767 · National Gallery of Victoria
53
Buildwas
54
View down a valley towards distant buildings, trees in the foreground
55
Derwent Waster
56
Edinburgh Castle
57
View of Tonbridge
58
View of Rackett Lodge, Wandsworth, London
59
Study of a donkey
60
Old Windsor Green
61
Middleham Castle, Yorkshire
62
An extensive river landscape with travellers
63
A horse and cart leaving a harbour
64
Woolwich from the Conduit Hill, the Thames beyond
65
Cows in a Park
66
Study of a Tree
67
Trees and house seen from a meadow - Bishopgate
68
A shepherd driving his flock before a Scottish castle
69
South East View of Windsor Castle From the Park
70
A horse
71
An old grey horse tethered to a tree, a boy resting nearby
72
Foresters In Windsor Great Park
73
View Of Windsor Castle And Part Of The Town From The Spital Hill
74
An extensive wooded river landscape with an amorous couple making music under a tree
75
Sanby paul the spread eagle tavern millbank
76
Llangollen, Denbighshire
77
Part of the Old Bridge at Shrewsbury with two arches of the new one
78
CowGirl in the Windsor Great Park
79
A Man and a Saddled HorseYale Center for British Art
The four subjects that come back most often in these originals, each with its finest example.
The 5 museums that hold the most of the paintings on this page.
| Museum | City | Works by Paul Sandby | Paintings from this list |
|---|---|---|---|
 Yale Center for British Art |
New Haven | 4 | London Cries: A Muffin Man, London Cries: A Man with a Bottle, The Meteor of August 18, 1783, as seen from the East Angle of the North Terrace, Windsor Castle |
 Scottish National Gallery |
Edinburgh | 1 | Horse Fair on Bruntsfield Links, Edinburgh |
 British Museum |
London | 1 | The Laterna Magica |
 National Portrait Gallery of Sweden |
Strängnäs | 1 | Study of a coachman |
 National Gallery of Victoria |
Melbourne | 1 | Windsor Castle: The Round Tower, Royal Court and Devil |
Man standing in a landscape. Horse Fair on Bruntsfield Links, Edinburgh (1750) and London Cries: A Muffin Man (1759) come next.
Man standing in a landscape, Horse Fair on Bruntsfield Links, Edinburgh, London Cries: A Muffin Man, Windsor Castle from the Great Park, Miss Marsden - back view, The Laterna Magica, London Cries: A Man with a Bottle, The Meteor of August 18, 1783, as seen from the East Angle of the North Terrace, Windsor Castle, Boy with a whip and Study of a woman pointing. The ranking above gives each one's year and museum.
Our catalog holds 79 works by Paul Sandby.
Mostly in Yale Center for British Art (New Haven), Scottish National Gallery (Edinburgh) and British Museum (London). The museum table above lists them all.
Buildings (16), Landscape (10) and Gardens and parks (10), across the 79 works on this page.
Watercolor, for 4 of the 79 works on this page.
Romanticism and Neoclassicism, judging by the originals on this page.
London Cries: A Muffin Man, London Cries: A Man with a Bottle and The Meteor of August 18, 1783, as seen from the East Angle of the North Terrace, Windsor Castle: the Yale Center for British Art, New Haven holds 4 of the works on this page.
Paul Sandby stands as a pivotal figure in the history of British landscape painting, recognized not merely for his artistic skill but for establishing a new aesthetic tradition that profoundly impacted subsequent generations. Born in Nottingham to Thomas Sandby, a textile worker, Paul’s early life was marked by self-education and an innate fascination with observation—qualities that would prove instrumental in shaping his extraordinary career as both a mapmaker and painter. Unlike many artists of his time who pursued formal training, Sandby honed his craft independently, immersing himself in the natural world and meticulously documenting its beauty through watercolor.
His formative years instilled within him a deep appreciation for detail and accuracy, skills that would later translate seamlessly into his cartographic endeavors. His brother Thomas, also a draughtsman, fostered this artistic inclination, encouraging experimentation and fostering a collaborative spirit. Together, they established an academy in Nottingham, attracting aspiring artists eager to learn from their expertise. Their distinctive style—characterized by luminous washes of color and a masterful depiction of atmospheric perspective—became instantly recognizable and profoundly influential across the British Isles.
Sandby’s professional journey was uniquely shaped by his involvement with the military drawing department at the Tower of London. This role propelled him into a position that would expose him to the grandeur of Scotland during the Jacobite Rebellion. Tasked with creating topographical maps and sketches of Highland landscapes, he became a visual recorder of history, transforming from a mere illustrator into one of the foremost landscape artists of his era. This period of service allowed him to blend the precision of a cartographer with the soul of an artist, capturing the rugged majesty of the Scottish terrain with unprecedented clarity.
His body of work reflects a remarkable versatility, ranging from sweeping vistas to intimate urban snapshots. In his celebrated series London Cries, such as the poignant depiction of A Man with a Bottle, Sandby captured the rhythmic pulse of street life in the 18th century. He possessed a rare ability to find beauty in the mundane, documenting the characters and commerce of London with a charming realism that remains captivating to modern eyes. Whether he was painting the tranquil river scenes of Llangollen or the bustling energy of the Horse Fair on Bruntsfield Links, his work always maintained a sense of topographical truth paired with poetic light.
As a founding member of the Royal Academy, Sandby played a crucial role in elevating the status of watercolor painting. Before his influence, watercolor was often relegated to preparatory sketches or mere instructional tools; however, through his mastery of the medium, he helped establish it as a respected fine art form capable of profound expression. His use of aquatint engraving further allowed his detailed views to reach a wider audience, spreading the beauty of the British landscape throughout Europe.
The historical significance of Paul Sandby lies in his ability to bridge the gap between scientific documentation and romantic expression. His legacy is found in:
Through his tireless dedication to observing the world, Sandby did more than just paint landscapes; he taught a nation how to see its own beauty.
