Thomas Sunderland (1744-1828) was an English artist who dedicated his talents primarily to the depiction of landscapes, working predominantly in the versatile and increasingly popular medium of watercolour. Active during a transformative period in British art, Sunderland's work offers a window into the aesthetic sensibilities of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, a time when the native scenery of Britain was being discovered and celebrated by artists and the public alike. While not as widely renowned today as some of his towering contemporaries, his contributions form part of the rich tapestry of British landscape art.
The Artistic Landscape of Sunderland's Time
To understand Thomas Sunderland's work, it is essential to consider the artistic environment in which he operated. The latter half of the 18th century witnessed a burgeoning interest in landscape painting in Britain. Previously, landscape had often been considered a lesser genre compared to historical or portrait painting. However, figures like Richard Wilson (1714-1782), often dubbed the "father of British landscape painting," began to elevate its status by imbuing British scenes with a classical grandeur inspired by artists like Claude Lorrain. Concurrently, Thomas Gainsborough (1727-1788), though famed for his portraits, was a passionate landscape painter, producing idyllic and naturalistic scenes that captured the English countryside's charm.
The rise of watercolour painting was particularly significant. Initially used for tinting maps or creating topographical records, watercolour evolved into a highly expressive medium. Artists like Paul Sandby (1731-1809), another pivotal figure, championed its use for finished exhibition pieces, depicting castles, abbeys, and scenic views across Britain. His work, along with that of his brother Thomas Sandby, helped popularise picturesque tours and the appreciation of local scenery. This growing appreciation was fueled by an increasing sense of national identity and a desire among the landed gentry and emerging middle class to have their surroundings, or places they visited, recorded.
Sunderland's Artistic Focus and Techniques
Thomas Sunderland's oeuvre, as evidenced by surviving works and auction records, primarily consists of sketches and watercolour paintings capturing the landscapes of England and Scotland. His choice of subjects reflects the period's fascination with both the cultivated and the wilder aspects of the British Isles. He employed a range of techniques common to watercolourists of his era, often starting with a pencil outline, then applying washes of colour, and sometimes using pen and ink for definition and detail.
For instance, a known work is a watercolour depicting the "Cowgate, Edinburgh, from the West." This piece was executed using black ink, with grey and brown ink washes applied over a grey wove paper. The use of toned paper was a common practice, as it could provide a mid-tone, allowing the artist to work up to highlights and down to shadows more effectively, lending depth and atmosphere to the scene. The Cowgate, a historic street in Edinburgh's Old Town, would have offered a wealth of picturesque architectural detail and urban character, appealing to an artist keen on capturing specific locales.
Another example of his work is a sketch titled "Cauldron Linn, on the River Devon, Scotland." This piece was created using pencil, with the addition of grey and light blue ink washes. Cauldron Linn, a series of dramatic waterfalls, was a celebrated beauty spot, attracting tourists and artists drawn to the sublime and picturesque qualities of the Scottish landscape. Sunderland's choice of media here – pencil for structure and light washes for atmosphere and water effects – demonstrates a versatile approach tailored to the subject. The delicate application of light blue ink would have been particularly effective in conveying the coolness and movement of water.
A further piece attributed to Sunderland, sometimes catalogued under "Circle of Sunderland" but more likely a work by the artist himself, is a watercolour and ink landscape. It portrays a broad view with a country house nestled on a hillside, measuring approximately 18cm x 28cm. This type of scene, showcasing a harmonious blend of human habitation and natural surroundings, was a popular theme, reflecting the idealised vision of rural life and land ownership prevalent at the time.
The Picturesque and the Sublime in Sunderland's Era
Sunderland's artistic practice was undoubtedly influenced by prevailing aesthetic theories, particularly the concepts of the Picturesque and the Sublime. The Picturesque, popularised by writers like William Gilpin, emphasised qualities such as roughness, irregularity, and variety in landscape – elements that were considered visually engaging and suitable for depiction in art. Artists sought out scenes with crumbling ruins, gnarled trees, and varied terrain. Sunderland's depictions of specific locations, with their attention to topographical detail and atmospheric effects, align with this interest.
The Sublime, on the other hand, as theorised by Edmund Burke, related to experiences of awe, vastness, and even a degree of terror evoked by nature's more powerful and overwhelming aspects – mountains, storms, and waterfalls like Cauldron Linn. While Sunderland's known works seem to lean more towards the picturesque and topographical, his choice of subjects like Cauldron Linn suggests an engagement with these more dramatic natural phenomena. Artists such as Alexander Cozens (c. 1717-1786) and his son John Robert Cozens (1752-1797) were masters of evoking the sublime and melancholic moods in their watercolour landscapes, often using limited palettes and broad washes to create powerful atmospheric effects. Their influence was profound on the next generation of watercolourists.
Contemporaries and the Evolution of Watercolour
Thomas Sunderland worked during a golden age for British watercolour painting. He was a contemporary of artists who would push the medium to new heights. Thomas Girtin (1775-1802), though his career was tragically short, revolutionised watercolour technique, moving away from mere tinting towards a richer, more painterly application of colour, achieving depth and luminosity previously unseen. His panoramic views of London and dramatic landscapes of the north of England set a new standard.
Perhaps the most famous of all, J.M.W. Turner (1775-1851), began his career as a topographical watercolourist, much like Sunderland, but his genius led him to explore the expressive possibilities of light, colour, and atmosphere to an unprecedented degree, transforming landscape painting in both watercolour and oil. While Sunderland's work appears more traditional, he would have been aware of the innovations happening around him.
Other notable watercolourists of the period include Francis Towne (1739/40-1816), known for his distinctive, almost abstract style with strong outlines and flat washes of colour, particularly in his depictions of Italy and the Lake District. The artists of the Norwich School, such as John Sell Cotman (1782-1842) and John Crome (1768-1821), also made significant contributions, focusing on the local scenery of Norfolk with a strong sense of design and naturalism. Cotman, in particular, was a master of pattern and simplified form in his watercolours.
The demand for landscape views also supported a host of other skilled practitioners. Artists like David Cox (1783-1859) and Peter De Wint (1784-1849) became immensely popular for their fresh and direct watercolours of the British countryside, often capturing the fleeting effects of weather and light. While Sunderland's output may not have reached the same level of fame or innovation as these figures, he was part of this vibrant artistic community, contributing to the overall body of work that celebrated Britain's natural heritage.
Travels and Topographical Tradition
The act of travelling to sketch and paint was central to the practice of many landscape artists of this era, including Sunderland. His depictions of scenes in both England and Scotland indicate that he undertook sketching tours, a common practice for artists seeking new subjects and patrons. These tours were not only artistic endeavors but also part of a broader cultural phenomenon of domestic tourism, as improved roads and an interest in national antiquities and natural beauty encouraged exploration.
Sunderland's work fits within the broader topographical tradition, which aimed to provide accurate and recognizable representations of specific places. This tradition was important for patrons who wished to have records of their estates, places they had visited, or sites of historical or natural interest. Engravers like William Woollett (1735-1785) played a crucial role in disseminating landscape images to a wider public, often working from drawings and paintings by artists like Sunderland. The market for such views was robust, supporting many artists who specialized in this genre.
Sunderland's Artistic Style: A Closer Look
Based on the descriptions of his works, Sunderland's style can be characterized by a careful observation of nature and a competent handling of his chosen media. His use of pen and ink in conjunction with watercolour washes was a standard technique that allowed for both precision in rendering details and fluidity in capturing atmospheric effects. The choice of grey, brown, and light blue inks suggests a subtle and harmonious colour palette, typical of many watercolours from this period before the advent of brighter, more synthetically produced pigments.
His landscapes, such as the one featuring a country house on a hillside, likely aimed for a sense of tranquility and ordered beauty. This reflects the picturesque ideal of a landscape improved by, yet still in harmony with, human presence. The dimensions of this particular piece (18cm x 28cm) suggest it was likely intended for more intimate viewing, perhaps in an album or a modest frame, common for watercolours of the time.
The depiction of "Cowgate, Edinburgh" on grey wove paper highlights a technical choice that contributed to the overall effect. Grey paper provided an immediate mid-tone, saving the artist labor and allowing for highlights to be added with opaque white (gouache) or by leaving the paper bare if it were a lighter grey, and shadows deepened with darker washes. This technique could create a sophisticated, unified tonal range.
The Limited Record: Achievements and Contributions
The historical record regarding Thomas Sunderland's specific major achievements or direct contributions to significant artistic shifts is not extensive. Unlike artists who were prominent members of the Royal Academy or who published treatises on art, Sunderland appears to have been a more modest practitioner. The provided information notes a lack of direct mention of major accolades or pivotal roles in art movements for Thomas Sunderland himself.
It is crucial to distinguish Thomas Sunderland (1744-1828) from other artists with similar names, particularly later figures whose artistic aims and contexts were vastly different. For instance, any discussion of an artistic turn emphasizing a "return to British traditional painting" and expressing the "human condition" in a way that sounds like 20th-century Neo-Romanticism would almost certainly refer to a different artist, such as Graham Sutherland (1903-1980), whose work indeed engaged with these themes in a modern context.
Thomas Sunderland's contribution lies in his participation in the flourishing tradition of British landscape watercolour during a key period of its development. His works are valuable as examples of the prevailing tastes and techniques of his time. He, like many other skilled artists such as Michael "Angelo" Rooker (1746-1801), who also specialized in architectural and landscape watercolours, or Thomas Hearne (1744-1817), known for his antiquarian and topographical views, helped to build the rich visual record of Britain in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Their collective efforts solidified landscape and watercolour as respected and distinctly British art forms.
Historical Evaluation and Legacy
Thomas Sunderland's works, when they appear at auction, are appreciated for their charm and their representation of late 18th and early 19th-century British landscape art. They demonstrate a fine observational skill and a competent handling of watercolour and ink. His art reflects the period's interest in topography, the picturesque, and the natural beauty of both England and Scotland.
While he may not have been an innovator on the scale of Turner or Girtin, Sunderland was a skilled artist working within established conventions and contributing to the popular appreciation of landscape. His paintings of specific locations like Edinburgh's Cowgate or Scotland's Cauldron Linn serve as historical documents as well as artistic creations, offering glimpses into how these places were perceived and valued in his time.
His legacy is that of a dedicated landscape artist who, through his detailed sketches and watercolours, captured the spirit of the British scene. His works are part of a larger body of art that celebrated the nation's identity through its varied landscapes. For art historians and collectors, Sunderland's paintings offer insights into the techniques, subjects, and aesthetic preferences of a pivotal era in British art, standing alongside the contributions of many other talented but perhaps less universally famous artists like Julius Caesar Ibbetson (1759-1817), known for his rustic landscapes and genre scenes, or Nicholas Pocock (1740-1821), who transitioned from a seaman to a respected marine and landscape painter.
In conclusion, Thomas Sunderland (1744-1828) was a proficient and diligent artist whose work forms a valuable part of the British watercolour tradition. His landscapes of England and Scotland, rendered with careful observation and skilled technique, reflect the artistic currents of his time, particularly the appreciation for the picturesque and the growing interest in the national scenery. While detailed information about his life and major career milestones remains somewhat elusive, his surviving artworks speak to a genuine engagement with the beauty of the British Isles and a mastery of the watercolour medium as it was practiced in the late Georgian era. His paintings continue to be appreciated for their historical and aesthetic merit, offering a quiet but enduring vision of a bygone Britain.
