The Eagle Tower, Caernarvon Castle, North Wales

Paul Sandby, R.A. (1730-1809)
The Eagle Tower, Caernarvon Castle, North Wales

pen and grey ink and watercolour over pencil on laid paper
36.3 by 51.6 cm., 14 1/2 by 20 1/2 inches

Provenance:
With Walker Galleries, London, by 1955;
By descent from 1955 until 2015

Stylistically this watercolour dates from the 1770s and this has been confirmed by Professor Luke Herrmann. Sandby visited Wales three times in the early 1770s. His first visit was in the summer of 1770 when he was invited to stay at the family seat of Sir Watkin Williams Wynn at Wynnstay, Denbighshire, about four miles east of Llangollen, and he returned for six weeks the following summer. In 1771 he went on an extended tour of the estate at Wynnstay and produced drawings, some of which were engraved as part of Views in North Wales published in 1776. He also toured Wales with Joseph Banks from 25th June to 16th August 1773. 
 
A slightly smaller view of Caernarvon Castle by Sandby dated 1773, taken from across the river Seiont is in the Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool. Luke Herrmann has suggested that the current work is the watercolour exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1775.  


Exhibited:
Possibly London, Royal Academy, 1775, no. 275