Two Men hauling in a Line, with Sharpham House beyond

Set on a bend of the river Dart in Devon, Sharpham House stands in magnificent grounds attributed to Capability Brown. A Georgian cube of seven by seven bays, it is thought to have been designed by Sir Robert Taylor in 1770, although it was constructed over a long period. William Payne, a native of Plymouth, started exhibiting such local views in London in 1776, first exhibiting at the Royal Academy a decade later. He moved to London in 1790 and became one of the most successful drawing masters of his day, numbering John Glover amongst his pupils.