Paul Sandby was described in his obituaries as 'the father of modern landscape painting in watercolours'. The son of a Nottingham textile maker, he began his career in Scotland, working as a draughtsman to the Military Survey in the Highlands. After settling in London with his elder brother, the architect and draughtsman Thomas Sandby (1721–1798), he worked as a drawing master to the aristocracy and developed his patronage and reputation through his network of amateur clients. As a founding member of the Royal Academy, Sandby played a pivotal role in the promotion of watercolour as a medium for professional artists and became one of the great pioneers of English landscape painting. His skills were applauded by fellow artists such as Thomas Gainsborough, who commented that if one wanted 'real views from nature in this country', there was no better artist than Sandby.