Artist: Circle of Samuel Prout (1783-1852)
Entitled: Continental Lake Scenes
Description: Watercolour, Unsigned
Price: Sold
Born in Plymouth, Prout was a celebrated watercolourist and topographical painter of architectural subjects. At the age of 18 he was introduced to the antiquarian John Britton who commissioned him to supply drawings for his book Beauties of Britain. During this time he lived and worked with Britton in London and began his career as an exhibiting artist, before ill-health forced his return to the West Country. However, by 1808 he was back in London, where he set himself up as a drawing master. His first visit to France in 1819 marked a turning point in his development. He made a series of drawings and watercolours of street scenes, Gothic buildings and market places in a style which became instantly recognisable. In the following years he made constant visits to France, Belgium, the Rhine, Bavaria and Italy. The predominant effect is the deep ochre of crumbling masonry and the characteristic knotted line which he produced with a reed pen over careful pencil drawing. His style was particularly suited to lithographic reproduction, and his eighteen publications produced between 1813 and 1844 were highly successful. An important aspect of his work are his sea scenes. Clearly, his interest was kindled in 1796 when he witnessed the wreck of the East Indiaman 'Dutton' in Plymouth. He was to make many drawings of this dramatic scene in later years. He exhibited widely, including 28 works at the Royal Academy, 8 at the British Institute and 560 at the Old Watercolour Society of which he was elected member in 1819. Examples of his work are held by the British Museum, the Victoria & Albert Museum and at galleries and museums throughout the country.
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