PROUT, Samuel, English painter: b. mouth, 17 Sept. 1783; d. Camberwell, 10 Feb. 1852. He early manifested a turn for drawing, but the only lessons he received were from a drawing-master in his native town. In 1801 he made the acquaintance of Britton, the architec taral antiquary, who employed him in visiting the rural districts to make sketches, which were to be engraved in the 'Beauties of England,' but which finally were rejected. Later sketches, however, were used in that work. In 1818 he visited Normandy, returning with many strik ing water-color drawings, whose merits placed him at the head of this department of art. He was especially happy in depicting monuments of medieval architecture throughout France, Germany and Italy, and also directed his at tention to lithography, publishing several col lections of lithographed sketches. He was a great water-color painter, in the English sense of the term. and relied altogether upon wash tones, whose depth Was determined by the de gree to which the white paper on which they were laid was permitted to appear. The prin
cipal features of his buildings he marked with strong lines and deep shadows, but his main characteristics are breadth, freedom of hand ling, and power of coloring. He was one of the most active members of the Water-color Society and a regular exhibitor. His industry was great and his pictures were eagerly sought for, though he received only moderate prices during his lifetime. However, in 1868 his 'Nuremberg' (21 x 28 in.) was sold for $5,010. He is the author of 'Hints on Light and Shadow,' the Student's Drawing Book,' and a series of lesson books published by Ackermann. A number of his water colors are in the South Kensington Museum, London. Consult Ruskin, J., 'Notes on Samuel Prout and William Hunt' (London 1880) ; Winslow, H., 'The Drawings of Samuel Pront' (in American Institute of Architects, Journal, Vol. IV, p. 485, Harrisburg 1916).