Sketches in France, Switzerland and Italy

Hodgson & Graves Her Majesty’s Print Sellers & Publishers , c.1839. A handsome copy in very good condition. Plates are clean and crisp. . Edition: First Edition, Binding: Rebacked skillfully with half calf saving the orginal red pebbled cloth boards. Spine with raised bands in six compartments with tooled gilt designs and lettering. , Notes: Among the finest of Prout’s work in lithograph.




Samuel Prout (1783 - 1852) was one of the masters of British 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, Gainsborough, Constable and Ruskin, whom he taught.
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.
Prout, 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. Whilst often compared, neither Turner nor Prout were vulgar artists, and while Turner concentrated upon the infinite beauties of nature, Prout, 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.
, Size: Folio: (390mm x 545mm), Illustration: Illustrated with 25 fine hand colored lithographed plates including 11 of Prout’s famous Views of Italy. Complete. , References: Abbey, Travel 34, Pages: P. Titlepage. Blank. Dedication. List of plates. 1-25. , Category: Book Europe Switzerland; Book Europe Italy; Book Europe France;Book Plate Books Colour;