Paul Sandby, R.A. and Thomas Sandby, R.A.

In the present watercolour, Paul and Thomas Sandby depict a view of the old wooden bridge over Virginia Water with, on the far right, the Duke of Cumberland on horseback, directing a group of workmen. In the distance, above the Duke's head, is Fort Belvedere and in the foreground, riding on horseback and overseeing the operation is George II.

In 1746 King George II (1683-1760) appointed his favourite son, William, the Duke of Cumberland, to the post of Ranger of Windsor Great Park and he soon began his major campaign of improvement on the estate, including the development of Virginia Water. Thomas Sandby was employed at Windsor in his capacity as a draughtsman, but there is no evidence to support the long held belief that Thomas Sandby was the Duke's architect in the creation of Virginia Water. Instead, this work was more likely supervised by the architect, Henry Flitcroft (1697-1769), who built the bridge seen in the present watercolour. It was not until 1765 that Thomas Sandby was made Deputy Ranger and it is now thought that after flood damage in 1782 he was made responsible for the enlargement of the lake and the building of a new cascade and grotto.¹

In 1753 Thomas and his brother, Paul, were living in Poultney Street and working together on a series of views of Windsor Great Park, including the present watercolour of the Great Bridge over Virginia Water. Here, it appears that Paul is responsible for the large tree in the foreground, the elegant figure of George II and some of the background landscape, whereas it seems that Thomas executed the figures of the workmen and the bridge. The present drawing and a further seven works illustrating Virginia Water were engraved and dedicated to the Duke of Cumberland and issued late in 1754 before being republished by Boydell in 1772.

Two other versions of this drawing are known to exist. One, in the Royal Collection, differs in several details, including the fact that the figure of George II is not present. The other, in the British Museum, depicts the left half of the present watercolour with the bridge and figures under it. Individual studies for the subject, including a figure dragging a wheelbarrow and another digging in front of a cart, can be found in the album of Paul Sandby's sketches at the British Museum.

1. Professor L. Herrmann, Paul and Thomas Sandby, London 1986, p.16