View of the River Dee 3 Miles Short of Bala, with Cadar-Idris Mountain near Dolgelli 30 Miles Distant 1776

Paul Sandby created this print, "View of the River Dee," using etching and aquatint. It depicts an idealized Welsh landscape and embodies the picturesque aesthetic popular in late 18th-century Britain. The image creates meaning through visual codes reflecting cultural and historical associations. Britain was in the midst of industrial and urban expansion; the art market and artistic institutions were expanding, and art was becoming increasingly commercialized. The population was moving away from the countryside. Views of nature, therefore, offered an escape. These picturesque landscapes served as a form of visual tourism for city dwellers. Sandby's print romanticizes the Welsh countryside, highlighting its natural beauty, and promoting it as a leisure destination. Historians delve into travel accounts, economic records, and social commentaries to understand this print's role in shaping perceptions of the Welsh countryside. The meaning of art is always contingent on its social and institutional context.