Artwork
Caernarvon Castle (Night)
Caernarvon Castle (Night) is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Paul Sandby. It dates from 1776 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Caernarvon Castle (Night) is a 1776 print by Paul Sandby, a landscape artist and founding member of the Royal Academy. Created using multiple techniques, it depicts Caernarvon Castle in Wales at night.
Subject & Meaning
The print shows Caernarvon Castle's intricate architecture reflected in the water, with a man walking a dog in the foreground. The scene is tranquil, with a cloudy sky and moonlight. The image blends topographical accuracy with artistic interpretation, capturing a serene nighttime atmosphere.
Technique & Style
The print combines etching, aquatint, and lift-ground aquatint techniques, printed in brown on laid paper. Sandby's use of these methods achieves a detailed and atmospheric effect, characteristic of his landscape prints.
Context
As a former mapmaker, Sandby brought a topographical sensibility to his landscape art. Caernarvon Castle (Night) reflects his ability to merge accuracy with artistic vision, a trait that contributed to his reputation as a landscape artist.
Artist & collection
Artist
Paul Sandby, (1731 – 7 November 1809) was an English mapmaker and painter who specialised in landscape art. Along with his older brother Thomas Sandby, he was one of the founding members of the Royal Academy in 1768.
