Samuel Prout (British, 1783–1852)

The Coliseum, Rome, 1824

Provenance:
Samuel Gillespie Prout, the artist’s son; Christie’s, 12 April 1880, lot 112 (12 guineas to the Fine Art Society)

Exhibited:
Fine Art Society, 148 New Bond Street, London, 1879–80, no. 71

Literature:
John Ruskin, Notes by Mr. Ruskin on Samuel Prout and William Hunt illustrated by a Loan Collection of Drawings (Ruskin, Works, ed. Cook & Wedderburn, 1904–12, Vol. XIV, pp. 396 and 399).

On page 399, Ruskin wrote, the drawing of the Coliseum at Rome, no. 71, has still higher claim to our consideration; in it were reserved, and in all points, rarer powers of expressing magnitude and solitude. It is so majestic in manner that it would quite have borne being set beside the photograph of Turner’s drawing at Farnley, had it been fair to match mere outline against a finished composition.