Approaching Rochester and the Medway (1786)

"Approaching Rochester and the Medway" (1786) is a work by Paul Sandby. About the period around 1786: The eighteenth century began with the light, ornamental Rococo, especially in France, and moved towards the clarity and antique references of Neoclassicism by the end of the century. The Enlightenment and the habit of the Grand Tour fed a wider interest in science, travel, antiquity, and natural history, and illustrators accompanied many expeditions. It is listed in the Landscape collection. The image is in landscape orientation. Landscape, a short history: Painters have used landscape to study light, weather, season, and the relation between people and place. Landscape became an independent genre in European painting in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, while in East Asia it had long been central to ink painting.

On onlly.art "Approaching Rochester and the Medway" is sold as a digital download (Digital JPEG + PDF files, 300 DPI). The files are delivered by email after payment, so nothing is shipped: you print locally, choosing the paper, size, and frame yourself. A landscape format suits wide, low wall spaces such as the stretch above a bed, mantel, or sideboard. Before printing, compare the proportions of the file with your frame so that nothing important is cropped. Hang the print away from direct sunlight, which over the years can fade any printed colour. Screens and printers render colour differently, so a small test print is a sensible way to check tones before committing to a large size. Matte and fine-art papers reduce glare in bright rooms, while glossy papers give stronger contrast and deeper blacks.

English, 1731–1809

If you like the visual language of Paul Sandby, explore more works by the same artist in our collection.