View source for Samuel Prout

{{Short description|English painter (1783–1852)}}
{{about||the postmaster general of Liberia|Samuel T. Prout}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{More footnotes|date=May 2025}}
[[image:Samuel Prout by John Jackson.jpg|thumb|right|Samuel Prout painted by [[John Jackson (painter)|John Jackson]] in 1831]]
[[image:SamuelProutMarketDay.jpg|thumb|right|Market Day by Samuel Prout]]
[[image:A View in Nuremberg by Samuel Prout.jpg|thumb|right|A View in Nuremberg by Samuel Prout]]
[[image:Samuel Prout Utrecht Town Hall 1841.jpg|thumb|right|Utrecht Town Hall by Samuel Prout in 1841]]
[[File:Rialto Bridge Venice by Samuel Prout.jpg|thumb|right|The Rialto Bridge Venice by Samuel Prout]]
'''Samuel Prout''' ({{IPAc-en|p|r|aʊ|t}}; 17 September 1783 – 10 February 1852) was a British watercolourist, and one of the masters of [[watercolour]] [[architectural painting]]. Prout secured the position of Painter in Water-Colours in Ordinary to [[King George IV]] in 1829 and afterwards to [[Queen Victoria]]. [[John Ruskin]], 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.<ref name="lockett">See Lockett. ''Samuel Prout (1783&ndash;1852)''.</ref> Attending [[Plymouth Grammar School]], he came under the influence of its [[schoolmaster]], [[John Bidlake]], who encouraged the young Prout and [[Benjamin Haydon|Benjamin Robert Haydon]] in their artistic apprenticeship. They spent whole summer days drawing the quiet cottages, rustic bridges and romantic watermills of the beautiful valleys of [[Devon]]. With [[John Britton (antiquary)|John Britton]], he made a journey through [[Cornwall]] to try his hand in furnishing sketches for Britton's ''Beauties of England''. In 1803, he moved to [[London]], 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).<ref name="lockett" />

In London, Prout saw new possibilities, and endeavoured to correct and improve his style by studying the works of the rising school of [[Landscape art|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]].

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.<ref>John Ruskin. ''A memoir of Prout'' (Art Journal, 1849).</ref>

He established his reputation with these street scenes, and gained praise from his erstwhile student [[John Ruskin]]. 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]] in 1829, and afterwards to [[Queen Victoria]].

At the time of his death there was hardly a place in [[France]], [[Germany]], [[Italy]] (especially [[Venice]]) or the [[Netherlands]] 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]] and was buried at [[West Norwood Cemetery]].<ref>''1911 Encyclopædia Britannica'' (See "Further reading" below).</ref>

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]].<ref>[https://doi-org.lonlib.idm.oclc.org/10.1093/ref:odnb/35625 Henry Davey, revised by Anne Pimlott Baker. 'Prout, Ebenezer'] in ''The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'' (2004)</ref> Another member of the family, [[John Skinner Prout]] made a career for himself painting and writing books in [[Tasmania]].

==References==
{{reflist}}

==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.
*''[https://archive.org/details/aserieseasyless00prougoog 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:

*[[John Ruskin|Ruskin, John]]. ''A memoir of Prout'' (in ''Art Journal'' 1849)
*Prout compared to Turner in Tate exhibition. ''[http://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-britain/exhibition/turner-and-venice]'' Tate Exhibition Turner/Prout
*[[Sabine Baring-Gould]] on Samuel Prout, [[s:Devonshire Characters and Strange Events/Samuel Prout]]
*[[John Ruskin|Ruskin, John]]. ''[https://archive.org/details/notesbymrruskino00ruskrich Notes on the Fine Art Society's Loan Collection of Drawings by Samuel Prout and William Hunt]'' (The Fine Art Society, 1880) .
*{{cite DNB|wstitle=Prout, Samuel|volume=46|pages=424 ff.}}
*Various. {{cite EB1911|wstitle=Prout, Samuel|volume=22|pages=490–491}}
*Lockett, Richard. ''Samuel Prout (1783–1852)'' (Batsford Ltd, 1985). {{ISBN|0-7134-3491-0}}
*Graham, Paul. ''[https://web.archive.org/web/20110516120631/http://www.fownc.org/publications/index.shtml West Norwood Cemetery: The Dickens Connection]'' (Friends of [[West Norwood Cemetery]], 1995).

==External links==
{{commons}}
* [http://www.tate.org.uk/servlet/ArtistWorks?cgroupid=999999961&artistid=435 Samuel Prout at the Tate Gallery, London]
* [http://musee.louvre.fr/bases/doutremanche/3110.php?lng=1&texte=&artiste=%22PROUT%2C+Samuel%22&titre=&localisation=&date=&periode=&domaine=&images_sans=images&submit=Lancer+la+recherche&nb_par_page=36 Samuel Prout at The Louvre, Paris]
* [https://books.google.com/books?id=rJE9AAAAMAAJ ''Sketches by Samuel Prout: in France, Belgium, Germany, Italy and Switzerland''], 1915
* [http://www.themorgan.org/exhibitions/exhibOnlineThumbs.asp?id=OnlineBritish Gainsborough to Ruskin Exhibition at the Morgan, New York]
* [http://www.manchestergalleries.org/the-collections/search-the-collection/contactsheet.php?creator=Prout%2C+Samuel&r=#results Samuel Prout at the Manchester Art Gallery, UK]
* [https://archive.today/20121212102929/http://www.nga.gov/cgi-bin/tsearch?oldartistid=203660&imageset=1 Samuel Prout at the National Gallery of Art, Washington DC]
* [http://www.tate.org.uk/about/press-office/press-releases/ruskin-turner-and-pre-raphaelites Samuel Prout in Tate exhibition "Ruskin, Turner and the Pre-Raphaelites"]
*[https://openlibrary.org/authors/OL2402495A Samuel Prout] at [https://openlibrary.org Open Library]
* Paintings engraved for Fisher's Drawing Room Scrap Books with poetical illustrations by [[Letitia Elizabeth Landon]]:
*:1832, engraved by William John Cook, {{ws|[[s:Letitia Elizabeth Landon (L. E. L.) in Fisher's Drawing Room Scrap Book, 1832/Hurdwar, a Place of Hindoo Pilgrimage|Hurdwar, a Place of Hindoo Pilgrimage]]}}
*:1832, engraved by [[Robert Wallis (engraver)|Robert Wallis ]], {{ws|[[s:Letitia Elizabeth Landon (L. E. L.) in Fisher's Drawing Room Scrap Book, 1832//The Taj-Mahal, at Agra|The Taj-Mahal, at Agra]]}}
*:1833, engraved by R Sands, {{ws|[[s:Letitia Elizabeth Landon (L. E. L.) in Fisher's Drawing Room Scrap Book, 1833/Tomb of Mahomed Shah|Tomb of Mahomed Shah]]}}
*:1833, engraved by [[William Joseph Taylor]], {{ws|[[s:Letitia Elizabeth Landon (L. E. L.) in Fisher's Drawing Room Scrap Book, 1833/Sarnat, a Boodh Monument|Sarnat, a Boodh Monument]]}}
*:1833, engraved by E Challis, {{ws|[[s:Letitia Elizabeth Landon (L. E. L.) in Fisher's Drawing Room Scrap Book, 1833/The Cootub Minar, Delhi|The Cootub Minar, Delhi]]}}
*:1833, engraved by R Sands, {{ws|[[s:Letitia Elizabeth Landon (L. E. L.) in Fisher's Drawing Room Scrap Book, 1833/The Kylas, Caves of Ellora|The Kylas, Caves of Ellora]]}}
*:1833, engraved by [[William Woolnoth]], {{ws|[[s:Letitia Elizabeth Landon (L. E. L.) in Fisher's Drawing Room Scrap Book, 1833/The Tomb of Aurungzebe|The Tomb of Aurungzebe]]}}
*:1837, engraved by [[William Miller (engraver)|William Miller]], {{ws|[[s:Letitia Elizabeth Landon (L. E. L.) in Fisher's Drawing Room Scrap Book, 1837/The Lake of Como|The Lake of Como]]}}
*:1837, engraved by [[Edward Francis Finden]], {{ws|[[s:Letitia Elizabeth Landon (L. E. L.) in Fisher's Drawing Room Scrap Book, 1837/Strada Reale—Corfu|Strada Reale—Corfu]]}}
*:1837, engraved by [[James Carter (engraver)|James Carter]], {{ws|[[s:Letitia Elizabeth Landon (L. E. L.) in Fisher's Drawing Room Scrap Book, 1837/Strada St. Ursola,—Malta|Strada St. Ursola,—Malta]]}}
*:1838, engraved by Ebenezer Challis, {{ws|[[s:Letitia Elizabeth Landon (L. E. L.) in Fisher's Drawing Room Scrap Book, 1838/Jesuits in Procession—Valetta, Malta|Jesuits in Procession—Valetta, Malta]]}}
*:1838, engraved by [[Robert Wallis (engraver)|Robert Wallis]], {{ws|[[s:Letitia Elizabeth Landon (L. E. L.) in Fisher's Drawing Room Scrap Book, 1838/The Church of St. John, and the Ruins of Lahneck Castle|The Church of St. John, and the Ruins of Lahneck Castle]]}}
*:1838, engraved by [[James Baylis Allen]], {{ws|[[s:Letitia Elizabeth Landon (L. E. L.) in Fisher's Drawing Room Scrap Book, 1838/The Castle of Chillon|The Castle of Chillon]]}}
* In Fisher's Drawing Room Scrap Book, 1834, as illustrations to [[Letitia Elizabeth Landon]]'s poem {{ws|[[s:Letitia Elizabeth Landon (L. E. L.) in Fisher's Drawing Room Scrap Book, 1834/The Zenana|The Zenana]]}}:
:* ''Ruins, Old Delhi'', engraved by S Lacey.
:* ''Excavated Temple of Kylas, Ellora'', engraved by E Challis.  
:* ''Bejapore'', engraved by T Jeavons.
:* ''Taj Bowlee, Bejapore'', engraved by J Redaway.
:* ''Tomb of Shere Shah'', engraved by W A LePetit.
* In Fisher's Drawing Room Scrap Book, 1834, as illustrations to [[Letitia Elizabeth Landon]]'s poem {{ws|[[s:Letitia Elizabeth Landon (L. E. L.) in Fisher's Drawing Room Scrap Book, 1834/Missionary|The Missionary]]}}:
:* ''Triad Figure, Interior of Elephanta'' engraved by [[William Woolnoth]].
:* ''Cawnpore'' engraved by C Mottram.

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Prout, Samuel}}
[[Category:1783 births]]
[[Category:1852 deaths]]
[[Category:19th-century English painters]]
[[Category:English male painters]]
[[Category:Artists from Plymouth, Devon]]
[[Category:Burials at West Norwood Cemetery]]
[[Category:English watercolourists]]
[[Category:19th-century English male artists]]
[[Category:People educated at Plymouth Grammar School]]