The Iron Forge between Dolgelli and Barmouth in Merioneth Shire
1776
Medium
Etching and aquatint printed in brown ink; second state of two (?)
Dimensions
Sheet: 10 3/16 × 13 1/4 in. (25.8 × 33.6 cm) Plate: 9 7/16 × 12 1/2 in. (24 × 31.7 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1936
Accession Number
36.8.30
Tags
Art Historical Context
Paul Sandby's *The Iron Forge between Dolelli and Barmouth Merioneth Shire*1776) captures a pivotal moment in Britain's early Industrial Revolution. This etching and aquatint depicts an iron forge nestled in the rugged Welsh landscape of Merioneth, between Dolgellau and Barmouth. Sandby, often called the "father of watercolour," was a master topographic artist renowned for his precise, evocative views of Britain's countryside. Here, he blends natural beauty—rolling hills and rushing waters—with the hum of industry, showcasing watermills powering the forge, a nod to emerging factories that fuel...
About the Artist
Paul Sandby
Paul Sandby (1731–1809), an English painter and draughtsman born in Nottingham, is celebrated as the father of English watercolour landscape painting. He learned drawing from his older brother Thomas Sandby, a prominent architect and artist, and followed him into the Military Drawing Office at the Tower of London, where they honed their skills as military draughtsmen. In 1747, Paul accompanied Tho...