Tunbridge & Tunbridge Castle after Paul Sandby

Fine hand coloured aquatints published by Thomas Palser in 1812 after the original works by Paul Sandby.

The view painted by Sandby shows the town’s Great Bridge over the river Tunn with the keep of Tunbridge Castle (the subject of the pendant to this view) in the background. The buildings on the right of the composition, the east side of the high street, were occupied by Widow Wise and Simon Wise, maunfacturerers of the world famous Tunbridge Ware.

The view of the castle was painted in 1787 when under the ownership of John Hooker. When Hooker bought the castle in 1739 it had stood neglected for many years and was soon derelict. Hooker saw a business opportunity and used the stone from the castle to sure up the banks of the River Medway allowing the waterway to become navigable. The fine house which remains standing on the site was built by Thomas Hooker, son of John, using the stone from the castle’s remaining walls.

These views were first published by Sandby himself in around 1787. Taking from the British Museum website, Thomas Palser was a ‚’Print publisher, dealing with a wide range of material, from portrait engravings through caricatures, and including restrikes of earlier plates’.

This fine pair of aquatints are framed within handmade copies of early 19th cnetruy print frames, ebonized and with a gilt sight.

o.s:23 in x 16.5 in