Samuel Prout painted by John Jackson in 1831
Market Day by Samuel Prout
A View in Nuremberg by Samuel Prout
Utrecht Town Hall by Samuel Prout in 1841
![Rialto Bridge Venice by Samuel Prout](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/80/Rialto_Bridge_Venice_by_Samuel_Prout.jpg)
Samuel Prout (; 17 September 1783 – 10 February 1852) was a British watercolourist, and one of the masters of
watercolour
Watercolor (American English) or watercolour (British English; see spelling differences), also ''aquarelle'' (; from Italian diminutive of Latin ''aqua'' "water"), is a painting method”Watercolor may be as old as art itself, going back to t ...
architectural painting
Architectural painting (also Architecture painting) is a form of genre painting where the predominant focus lies on architecture, including both outdoor and interior views. While architecture was present in many of the earliest paintings and illumi ...
. Prout secured the position of Painter in Water-Colours in Ordinary to
King George IV
George IV (George Augustus Frederick; 12 August 1762 – 26 June 1830) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and King of Hanover from the death of his father, King George III, on 29 January 1820, until his own death ten ye ...
in 1829 and afterwards to
Queen Victoria
Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 216 days was longer than that of any previo ...
.
John Ruskin
John Ruskin (8 February 1819 20 January 1900) was an English writer, philosopher, art critic and polymath of the Victorian era. He wrote on subjects as varied as geology, architecture, myth, ornithology, literature, education, botany and pol ...
, whose work often emulated Prout's, wrote in 1844, "Sometimes I tire of Turner, but never of Prout". Prout is often compared to his contemporaries: Turner, Constable and Ruskin, whom he taught. He was the uncle of the artist
John Skinner Prout.
Biography
Samuel Prout was born at
Plymouth, the fourth of fourteen children born to Samuel Prout Senior, a naval outfitter in the dockyard city, and Mary Cater.
[See Lockett. ''Samuel Prout (1783–1852)''.] Attending Plymouth Grammar School he came under the influence of Headmaster Dr.
John Bidlake who encouraged the young Prout and
Benjamin Robert Haydon
Benjamin Robert Haydon (; 26 January 178622 June 1846) was a British painter who specialised in grand historical pictures, although he also painted a few contemporary subjects and portraits. His commercial success was damaged by his often tactles ...
in their artistic apprenticeship. They spent whole summer days drawing the quiet cottages, rustic bridges and romantic watermills of the beautiful valleys of
Devon
Devon ( , historically known as Devonshire , ) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South West England. The most populous settlement in Devon is the city of Plymouth, followed by Devon's county town, the city of Exeter. Devo ...
. With
John Britton, he made a journey through
Cornwall
Cornwall (; kw, Kernow ) is a historic county and ceremonial county in South West England. It is recognised as one of the Celtic nations, and is the homeland of the Cornish people. Cornwall is bordered to the north and west by the Atlantic ...
to try his hand in furnishing sketches for Britton's ''Beauties of England''. In 1803, he moved to
London
London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
, where he stayed until 1812. Marrying Elizabeth Gillespie in 1810, they had four children; Rebecca Elizabeth (b. 1813), Elizabeth Delsey (b. 1817), Isabella Anne (b. 1820), and Samuel Gllespie (b. 1822).
In London, Prout saw new possibilities, and endeavoured to correct and improve his style by studying the works of the rising school of
landscape. To earn a living, he painted marine pieces for Palser the printseller, took students, and published drawing books for learners. He was one of the first to use
lithography
Lithography () is a planographic method of printing originally based on the immiscibility of oil and water. The printing is from a stone (lithographic limestone) or a metal plate with a smooth surface. It was invented in 1796 by the German a ...
.
It was not however until about 1818 that Prout discovered his niche. Happening time to make his first visit to the Continent, and to study the quaint streets and market-places of continental cities, he suddenly found himself in a new and enchanting province of art. His eye caught the picturesque features of the architecture, and his hand recorded them with skill. The composition of his drawings was exquisitely natural; their colour exhibited "the truest and happiest association in sun and shade"; the picturesque remnants of ancient architecture were rendered with the happiest breadth and largeness, with the heartiest perception and enjoyment of their time-worn ruggedness; and the solemnity of great cathedrals was brought out with striking effect.
He established his reputation with these street scenes, and gained praise from his erstwhile student
John Ruskin
John Ruskin (8 February 1819 20 January 1900) was an English writer, philosopher, art critic and polymath of the Victorian era. He wrote on subjects as varied as geology, architecture, myth, ornithology, literature, education, botany and pol ...
. Until Prout, says Ruskin, excessive and clumsy artificiality characterized the picturesque: what ruins early artists drew "looked as if broken down on purpose; what weeds they put on seemed put on for ornament". To Prout, therefore, goes credit for the creation of the essential characteristics lacking in earlier art, in particular "that feeling which results from the influence, among the noble lines of architecture, of the rent and the rust, the fissure, the lichen, and the weed, and from the writings upon the pages of ancient walls of the confused hieroglyphics of human history". Prout, in other words, does not unfeelingly depict signs of age and decay chiefly for the sake of interesting textures, but rather employs these textures and other characteristics of the picturesque to create deeply felt impressions of age nobly endured. Though they are often compared, neither Turner nor Prout were vulgar artists, and while Turner concentrated upon the infinite beauties of nature, Prout was more interested by the cityscape.
Prout was appointed the coveted title of 'Painter in Water-Colours in Ordinary' to
King George IV
George IV (George Augustus Frederick; 12 August 1762 – 26 June 1830) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and King of Hanover from the death of his father, King George III, on 29 January 1820, until his own death ten ye ...
in 1829, and afterwards to
Queen Victoria
Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 216 days was longer than that of any previo ...
.
At the time of his death there was hardly a place in
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...
,
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
,
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...
(especially
Venice
Venice ( ; it, Venezia ; vec, Venesia or ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400 bridges. The isla ...
) or the
Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
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where his face had not been seen searching for antique gables and sculptured pieces of stone. He died after a
stroke at his home, 5 De Crespigny Terrace,
Denmark Hill,
London
London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
and was buried at
West Norwood Cemetery
West Norwood Cemetery is a rural cemetery in West Norwood in London, England. It was also known as the South Metropolitan Cemetery.
One of the first private landscaped cemeteries in London, it is one of the " Magnificent Seven" cemeteries of ...
.
A large quantity of his original sketchbooks, lithographs, account books, letters and family materials are held at the North Devon Athenaeum,
Barnstaple, Devon. The collection was sold at auction in 2010, and much was acquired by
Plymouth City Museum & Art Gallery, adding to its existing holdings of his work.
Samuel Gillespie Prout followed in his father's footsteps by also painting watercolours. his nephew was the composer
Ebenezer Prout.
Henry Davey, revised by Anne Pimlott Baker. 'Prout, Ebenezer'
in ''The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'' (2004) Another member of the family, John Skinner Prout made a career for himself painting and writing books in Tasmania
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, map_caption = Location of Tasmania in AustraliaCoordinates:
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.
References
Further reading
;By Samuel Prout:
* ''Picturesque Delineations in the Counties of Devon and Cornwall'' T. Palser, London 1812.
* ''Prout's Village Scenery'' T. Palser, London 1813.
*
Rudiments of Landscape in Progressive Studies
' (R. Ackermann London, 1813)
* ''Picturesque Studies of Cottages'' R. Ackermann 1816
* ''Sketches of the Thames Estuary'' T Palser London 1817
* ''Marine Sketches'' Rowney & Forster, London 1820.
* ''Picturesque Buildings in Normandy'' Rodwell and Martin, London 1821.
* ''Views in the North of England'' R. Ackermann 1821.
* ''Studies from Nature'' Rodwell & Martin London 1823
* ''Illustrations of the Rhine'' J. Dickinson 1824.
* ''Views in Germany'' J. Dickinson 1826.
* ''Interior and Exteriors'' Ackermann & Co 1834
* ''Hints on Light and Shadow''Ackermann & Co 1838
* ''Prout's Microcosm'' Tilt & Bogue, London 1841.
;About Samuel Prout:
* Ruskin, John. ''A memoir of Prout'' (in ''Art Journal'' 1849)
*Prout compared to Turner in Tate exhibition.
' Tate Exhibition Turner/Prout
*Sabine Baring-Gould
Sabine Baring-Gould ( ; 28 January 1834 – 2 January 1924) of Lew Trenchard in Devon, England, was an Anglican priest, hagiographer, antiquarian, novelist, folk song collector and eclectic scholar. His bibliography consists of more than 1,2 ...
on Samuel Prout, s:Devonshire Characters and Strange Events/Samuel Prout
* Ruskin, John.
Notes on the Fine Art Society's Loan Collection of Drawings by Samuel Prout and William Hunt
' (The Fine Art Society, 1880) .
*
*Various.
*Lockett, Richard. ''Samuel Prout (1783–1852)'' (Batsford Ltd, 1985).
*Graham, Paul.
West Norwood Cemetery: The Dickens Connection
' (Friends of West Norwood Cemetery
West Norwood Cemetery is a rural cemetery in West Norwood in London, England. It was also known as the South Metropolitan Cemetery.
One of the first private landscaped cemeteries in London, it is one of the " Magnificent Seven" cemeteries of ...
, 1995).
External links
Samuel Prout at the Tate Gallery, London
Samuel Prout at The Louvre, Paris
''Sketches by Samuel Prout: in France, Belgium, Germany, Italy and Switzerland''
1915
Gainsborough to Ruskin Exhibition at the Morgan, New York
Samuel Prout at the Manchester Art Gallery, UK
Samuel Prout at the National Gallery of Art, Washington DC
Samuel Prout in Tate exhibition "Ruskin, Turner and the Pre-Raphaelites"
Samuel Prout
a
Open Library
{{DEFAULTSORT:Prout, Samuel
1783 births
1852 deaths
19th-century English painters
English male painters
Artists from Plymouth, Devon
Burials at West Norwood Cemetery
English watercolourists
19th-century English male artists