Paul Sandby, RA

With Agnew's, London,

where acquired by the late Sir Simon and Lady Day

Working on a grand scale and purely in gouache, Paul Sandby presents Pembroke Castle in its picturesque surroundings. It is summer and as the sun sinks behind the castle, blue sky seems to chase away the dark, rain-threatening clouds to the right. Beyond lies the town itself, with the Norman church of St Mary seen on slightly higher ground.

The surface of the Mill Pond is ruffled by the breeze, which is strong enough to propel a number of boats across the water. Near to the water’s edge, a party of fishermen haul in their nets, while two of their number - having seemingly already waded ashore - head towards a mother and her baby carrying a heavy basket of fish. To the left, a man looks back at us, while his small dog waits patiently by his side.

Sandby visited Pembroke Castle in 1773 as part of his tour of south Wales with Joseph Banks and a group of botanists. In both 1770 and 1771 he had explored the northern part of the principality and throughout the rest of this life he was able to refer back to the drawings he made during these tours.

A founding member of the Royal Academy, Sandby exhibited views of Pembroke Castle there in 1775, 1807 and 1808.