Often described as 'the father of modern landscape painting in watercolours', the Sandby's work captured a rapidly developing rural and urban Britain and was pivotal in popularising the medium of watercolour in landscape painting,

As well as showcasing his talent for landscapes, the collection of work reveals Sandby to be an acute observer of society and a razor-sharp satirist.

Organised by Nottingham City Council, the exhibition, called Picturing Britain, tours on to The National Galleries of Scotland, Edinburgh, and then to the Royal Academy of Arts in London when it closes in Nottingham on October 18.

It includes 112 pieces, including over 20 from the Royal Collection, loaned with the kind permission of Her Majesty the Queen. Another 20 are from the British Museum and 19 from the Yale Center for British Art, Massachusetts, USA.

A spectacular three metre section of a 1750 map is being lent by the British Library and other works are from Tate Britain, the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Royal Academy of Arts, of which Paul Sandby was a founding member, there are also works from the National Library of Scotland, the National Galleries of Scotland, the National Museum of Wales, National Library of Wales and from private collections.

The exhibition includes drawings, many watercolours and gouaches, etchings, aquatints and a few rare oils. It also includes work by Paul's older brother, Thomas, including his large panoramic watercolour of Nottingham's Old Market Square painted in the early 1740s

Paul Sandby (1731-1809) played a major role in promoting British landscape through his art, at a time when Italianate views and Dutch scenes were all the rage.

Councillor Dave Trimble, Nottingham City Council's Portfolio holder for Leisure, Culture and Customers, said: "The kind of landscape that Sandby painted is so familiar to us today it is hard to realise how innovative it was when it was first created, collected and exhibited. Sandby took the 'topographical scene' and developed it into 'art'.

""We're incredibly proud to be showcasing the work of one of Nottingham's most influential and innovative artists, one who changed the face of landscape painting as we know it today. Sandby should be up there in public perception with Nottingham's other famous artists, Richard Parkes-Bonington and Dame Laura Knight, so we are proud and delighted to be inaugurating the Picturing Britain exhibition as a celebration of his bicentenary anniversary and to promote his work and his legacy.

"It is an ambitious undertaking and the fact that our Nottingham exhibition is going on to Edinburgh and to London gives an indication of its significance. We hope that as many people as possible will come to see the exhibition, particularly our residents, who can enter Nottingham Castle for free from Monday to Friday with their Citycard."

Nottingham City Council was awarded £40,000 by the Paul Mellon Centre for British Art to research the exhibition and accompanying catalogue. Entry to the exhibition is included in the admission price to Nottingham Castle.