A wealthy iron master and amateur artist, Thomas Sunderland (1744-1823) had the means to travel widely on the continent in the 18th century visiting Germany, Austria, Italy, Spain and Switzerland. He usually worked in a palette of grey and blue washes with outlining in pen and pencil. He absorbed elements of the style from his friend John Robert Cozens, by whom he was taught.
The first three listed here are exceptional examples of Sunderlands work. They are drawn in the early to mid 1700's on a trip to Switzerland possibly travelling with his friend and mentor John Robert Cozens. Cozens travelled to Switzerland on two occasions the first with Richard Payne Knight in 1766-9 and the second with Beckford in 1782/3. There is no firm evidence of Sunderland being with Cozens on his first trips to Switzerland but these three drawings are certainly early and very fresh. it is noted that the Party traveled from Geneva along the North side of the lake.This ties in with the Vevey and Montreux subjects..

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