John Skinner Prout stands as a significant, if sometimes overlooked, figure in the annals of 19th-century art, particularly for his contributions to the visual documentation of early colonial Australia. A proficient watercolourist, skilled lithographer, and influential art educator, Prout's work offers invaluable insights into the landscapes, burgeoning settlements, and social fabric of a continent undergoing profound transformation. His artistic journey, spanning England and the Australian colonies, reflects both the prevailing Romantic sensibilities of his era and a keen eye for the unique character of the Southern Hemisphere.
Early Life and Artistic Foundations in England
Born in Plymouth, Devon, England, on December 9, 1805, John Skinner Prout was immersed in an artistic environment from a young age. His father, John Prout, was an elder brother of the celebrated watercolourist Samuel Prout (1783-1852). This familial connection was undoubtedly formative. Samuel Prout was a master of picturesque architectural renderings and landscapes, renowned for his depictions of European cathedrals and street scenes. Young John Skinner Prout would have been intimately familiar with his uncle's techniques, his handling of light and shadow, and his ability to capture the texture and character of aged structures and natural scenery.
While detailed records of his formal artistic training are somewhat scarce, it is widely accepted that he was largely self-taught, heavily guided by the example of his uncle Samuel. He also likely benefited from the broader artistic milieu of early 19th-century Britain, a period that saw the flourishing of watercolour painting with artists like J.M.W. Turner, John Constable, and David Cox elevating the medium to new heights. Prout developed a proficiency in watercolour, a medium perfectly suited for topographical work and capturing the fleeting effects of atmosphere and light.
In 1838, Prout became a member of the New Society of Painters in Water Colours (later the Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours), a testament to his growing reputation in England. He exhibited works depicting British landscapes and architectural subjects, following in the picturesque tradition popularized by his uncle and artists like William Gilpin. His early works demonstrate a competent hand, a good sense of composition, and an appreciation for the romantic qualities of the British landscape. However, a desire for new horizons and perhaps greater opportunities beckoned.
The Voyage to a New World: Australia Beckons
In 1840, John Skinner Prout, accompanied by his wife Maria and their seven children, made the momentous decision to emigrate to Australia. They arrived in Sydney, New South Wales, in December of that year aboard the Thomas Lowry. The motivations for such a move were likely multifaceted, possibly including economic prospects, the allure of a new, "unspoiled" landscape for an artist, and the general spirit of colonial expansion that characterized the Victorian era.
Australia in the 1840s was a raw, developing colony. Sydney was a bustling port town, the primary entry point to a vast continent whose interior was still largely unknown to Europeans. For an artist like Prout, it presented a wealth of fresh subject matter, far removed from the familiar scenes of Britain and Europe. He arrived at a time when colonial art was beginning to find its voice, with artists like Conrad Martens already establishing themselves by documenting the local scenery. Martens, who had arrived in Sydney in 1835, was known for his romantic and scientifically informed landscapes, often commissioned by the colonial elite.
Prout quickly set about establishing himself in the colonial art scene. He was not just a painter but also an entrepreneur and educator. He recognized the potential for disseminating images of the colony through the relatively new medium of lithography, a process that allowed for multiple prints to be made from a single drawing on stone. This was a significant development, as it made art more accessible to a wider public beyond wealthy patrons.
Documenting Sydney and New South Wales
Prout's energy and ambition were immediately apparent. He began sketching prolifically, capturing views of Sydney Harbour, its burgeoning streets, public buildings, and the surrounding countryside. His approach was often topographical, aiming to provide an accurate representation of a place, yet imbued with the picturesque qualities he had honed in England. He was adept at finding compositions that highlighted the unique blend of natural beauty and colonial development.
One of his most significant early projects in Australia was Sydney Illustrated, published in 1842-1844. This series of lithographs, often hand-coloured, provided some of the earliest and most comprehensive visual records of the city and its environs. Works like View of Sydney from the North Shore and George Street, Sydney showcased the growing metropolis, while others depicted natural landmarks and scenes of colonial life. These prints were popular both in the colony and in England, helping to shape perceptions of Australia.
During his time in New South Wales, Prout also undertook sketching expeditions, sometimes venturing into areas less frequented by artists. He depicted Aboriginal people, though often through a romanticized European lens, as was common for the period. His works from this time, such as Female Orphan School, Near Parramatta, show his skill in capturing the specific light and atmosphere of the Australian landscape, which differed significantly from that of England. He also engaged with the local artistic community, delivering lectures on art and promoting the practice of sketching from nature. His contemporary, Oswald Brierly, another notable maritime and colonial artist, was also active in Sydney during this period, and their paths likely crossed.
The Tasmanian Sojourn: A Prolific Period
In 1844, Prout and his family relocated to Van Diemen's Land (now Tasmania), a move that would prove to be exceptionally productive for him. Hobart Town, nestled beneath the dramatic Mount Wellington, and the diverse landscapes of the island offered rich material for his brush and lithographic stone. Tasmania, with its more established colonial infrastructure and dramatic scenery, seemed to particularly resonate with Prout's picturesque sensibilities.
During his four years in Tasmania (1844-1848), Prout was incredibly active. He organized what is considered the first professional art exhibition in Australia in Hobart in 1845, showcasing his own works alongside those of other local artists, including amateurs. This event was a significant cultural milestone for the colony. He also continued his educational efforts, offering drawing classes and leading sketching excursions, which were popular among the colonial gentry.
His major achievement from this period was the publication of Tasmania Illustrated (1844-1846), a series of lithographs that captured the island's towns, natural wonders, and settler estates. Titles such as Hobart Town, from the New Town Road, Mount Wellington and Hobart Town from Kangaroo Point, and View of the Town of Launceston, Van Diemen's Land became iconic images of the colony. These works are characterized by their lively compositions, attention to detail, and effective use of light and shade to convey the grandeur of the Tasmanian landscape. He also depicted the penal settlements, such as Port Arthur, providing valuable historical records.
The influence of earlier artists who had worked in Tasmania, such as John Glover, who had arrived in 1831 and was renowned for his idyllic depictions of the Tasmanian landscape, might have provided a backdrop for Prout's own explorations. However, Prout's focus was often more topographical and documentary, though still infused with a romantic spirit. His work in Tasmania is often considered the peak of his colonial artistic output.
Artistic Style, Techniques, and Subject Matter
John Skinner Prout was primarily a watercolourist and lithographer. His watercolour technique was fluid and confident, characterized by transparent washes and a keen sense of atmospheric perspective. He was skilled at capturing the specific qualities of Australian light, which is harsher and clearer than that of England. His palette often featured earthy tones, blues, and greens, reflecting the colours of the Australian bush and coastline.
His style was firmly rooted in the British picturesque tradition. This aesthetic, popularized by writers like William Gilpin and artists such as his uncle Samuel Prout and Copley Fielding, emphasized irregularity, roughness, and variety in landscape. Prout sought out views that offered interesting compositional elements – a gnarled tree in the foreground, a distant mountain range, a winding river, or a cluster of colonial buildings. He often included figures in his landscapes, not just for scale but also to animate the scene and provide a sense of human activity within the environment.
In lithography, Prout was a pioneer in Australia. He understood the medium's potential for mass reproduction and used it effectively to disseminate his views. His lithographs, often based on his watercolour sketches, retained the freshness and immediacy of his original drawings. Many of these were subsequently hand-coloured, adding to their appeal. The process involved drawing directly onto a specially prepared limestone block with a greasy crayon, then chemically treating the stone so that ink would adhere only to the drawn areas. This allowed for a more autographic print than engraving or etching, closer to the artist's original touch. He would have been aware of the advancements in lithography made in Europe by figures like Charles Joseph Hullmandel in London.
His subject matter was diverse, encompassing:
Urban Views: Depictions of Sydney and Hobart, showing streets, public buildings, and harbours.
Landscapes: Sweeping vistas of mountains, rivers, forests, and coastlines.
Colonial Estates: Pictures of the homes and properties of settlers.
Aboriginal Subjects: While not a primary focus, he did produce images of Indigenous Australians, often in picturesque or romanticized settings, reflecting the prevailing colonial attitudes. These contrast with the more ethnographic work of artists like Augustus Earle, who had visited Australia earlier.
Maritime Scenes: Given his upbringing in Plymouth and his time in port cities, ships and harbour scenes also featured in his work.
Return to England and Later Career
In 1848, John Skinner Prout and his family returned to England, settling in London. He brought back a vast portfolio of sketches and finished watercolours from his eight years in the Australian colonies. These works formed the basis for many of his subsequent exhibitions and publications in Britain. He continued to exhibit regularly, including at the Royal Academy and the New Society of Painters in Water Colours, of which he remained an active member.
His Australian scenes found a receptive audience in England, eager for images of the distant colonies. He published further collections of lithographs based on his Australian sketches, such as An Illustrated Handbook of the Voyage to Australia and a Visit to the Gold Fields (circa 1852), capitalizing on the interest generated by the Australian gold rushes. He also delivered lectures on Australia, illustrated with his own drawings, further cementing his reputation as an authority on the colonial landscape.
While he continued to paint British subjects, his Australian work remained a significant part of his oeuvre. His style, though matured, largely retained the characteristics developed during his colonial sojourn. He remained a respected figure in the London art world, known for his skill in watercolour and his contributions to topographical art. Other watercolourists of his generation, such as Peter De Wint and William Henry Hunt, were also prominent, each contributing to the rich tapestry of British watercolour painting. Prout's specific niche was his unique experience and documentation of the Australian colonies.
Key Works and Their Enduring Significance
Several of Prout's works and series stand out for their artistic merit and historical importance:
Sydney Illustrated (1842-1844): This series of lithographs was crucial in providing early visual representations of Sydney. It captured the city's growth, its harbour, and its unique blend of European architecture and Australian landscape. These images helped to define Sydney in the popular imagination, both locally and abroad.
Tasmania Illustrated (1844-1846): Perhaps his most accomplished series, these lithographs showcased the dramatic beauty of Van Diemen's Land. Works like Hobart Town from the Domain or The Falls of the Derwent are not just topographical records but also evocative romantic landscapes. They highlight his skill in composition and his ability to convey the grandeur of nature.
Female Orphan School, Near Parramatta (c. 1842): This watercolour is a fine example of his ability to capture the specific light and atmosphere of the Australian landscape, as well as documenting an important colonial institution.
Aborigines of New South Wales (c. 1840s): While reflecting the representational conventions of the time, these images are important historical documents of Indigenous people during the early colonial period.
Mount Wellington and Hobart Town from Kangaroo Point (c. 1845): A classic Prout composition, this work beautifully balances the depiction of the colonial settlement with the imposing natural backdrop of Mount Wellington, showcasing his mastery of the picturesque.
The significance of these works lies in their dual role as art and historical document. They provide invaluable visual evidence of what Australia looked like in the 1840s, how the colonies were developing, and how Europeans were interacting with and perceiving this new environment. For art historians, they demonstrate the transplantation and adaptation of European artistic conventions to a new world.
Contemporaries and Artistic Connections
John Skinner Prout did not operate in an artistic vacuum. His career was shaped by and intertwined with those of numerous other artists:
Samuel Prout (Uncle): The most direct and significant influence. Samuel's picturesque style, focus on architectural detail, and watercolour techniques were foundational for John Skinner.
Conrad Martens (1801-1878): A key contemporary in Sydney. Martens, with his training under Copley Fielding (another prominent watercolourist), produced more romantic and often grander landscapes than Prout, but both were vital in documenting New South Wales.
Oswald Brierly (1817-1894): A maritime artist who was also in Sydney during Prout's time. Brierly later became Marine Painter to Queen Victoria. Their shared interest in documenting the colony likely led to interactions.
John Glover (1767-1849): Though of an earlier generation, Glover was a towering figure in Tasmanian art. His idyllic and light-filled depictions of the Tasmanian landscape set a high standard, and Prout would have been aware of his work during his time in Van Diemen's Land.
Augustus Earle (1793-1838): An earlier travelling artist who spent time in Australia (1825-1828). Earle's work, including his significant portraits of Indigenous Australians, provided an earlier visual record of the colonies.
J.M.W. Turner (1775-1851) and David Cox (1783-1859): Leading figures of the British watercolour school whose broader influence shaped the artistic environment in which Prout trained and worked. Their innovations in capturing light and atmosphere were pervasive.
Charles Joseph Hullmandel (1789-1850): A pivotal figure in the development of lithography in Britain. Prout's adoption of lithography in Australia built upon the technical advancements made by Hullmandel and others in Europe.
George French Angas (1822-1886): Another artist and naturalist who travelled extensively in Australia and New Zealand slightly after Prout's main colonial period, also using his art to document landscapes, people, and customs, often publishing lithographic albums.
S.T. Gill (Samuel Thomas Gill) (1818-1880): Arrived in South Australia in 1839 and later became famous for his depictions of life on the Victorian goldfields. Gill's work, often more focused on caricature and everyday life, offers a different but complementary view of colonial Australia.
Eugene von Guérard (1811-1901) and Nicholas Chevalier (1828-1902): These artists became prominent in Australia slightly later than Prout's colonial period, particularly during and after the gold rushes. They brought a more Germanic Romanticism and academic precision to Australian landscape painting, building upon the foundations laid by earlier artists like Prout and Martens.
Prout's interactions with these artists, whether direct or indirect through their shared cultural milieu, contributed to the rich and evolving story of colonial art.
Anecdotes and Character
While detailed personal diaries or extensive correspondence from Prout are not abundant, certain aspects of his character and activities can be gleaned from contemporary accounts and his known actions. He was clearly an energetic and enterprising individual. His decision to emigrate with a large family suggests a degree of adventurousness and resilience.
In Australia, he was not a reclusive artist but an active participant in colonial society. His organization of art exhibitions and his public lectures on art demonstrate a commitment to fostering artistic appreciation and practice in the colonies. These lectures, often illustrated with his own sketches, were reportedly popular and well-attended, suggesting he was a capable communicator and engaging personality. His sketching excursions in Tasmania, which attracted amateur artists from polite society, paint a picture of a sociable and encouraging teacher.
The commercial success of his lithographic series, Sydney Illustrated and Tasmania Illustrated, points to a shrewd understanding of the market and a desire to make his art accessible. He was, in a sense, an artist-entrepreneur, a role not uncommon in the 19th century but one he pursued with particular vigour in the colonial context. His return to England and continued success in marketing his Australian views further underscore his business acumen.
One anecdote often recounted is his role in the first art exhibition in Hobart in 1845, held at the Legislative Council Chambers. This was a significant event, not just for Prout personally, but for the cultural development of the colony, demonstrating an aspiration for artistic refinement even in a society still grappling with its penal colony past.
Legacy and Historical Position
John Skinner Prout's legacy is primarily tied to his invaluable contribution to the visual record of early colonial Australia. His watercolours and lithographs are more than just pretty pictures; they are historical documents that offer a window into the landscapes, settlements, and nascent societies of New South Wales and Van Diemen's Land in the 1840s. He captured a pivotal moment of transition, as European settlement expanded and transformed the ancient continent.
Artistically, Prout successfully adapted the British picturesque tradition to the unique Australian environment. He was among the first generation of professional artists to seriously engage with the Australian landscape and to disseminate its image to a wider public through the medium of lithography. In this, he was a pioneer, popularizing a new technology for artistic reproduction in the colonies.
His work is held in major public collections in Australia, including the National Gallery of Australia, the Art Gallery of New South Wales, the State Library of New South Wales, the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, and the National Library of Australia, as well as in collections in the United Kingdom. These institutions recognize the historical and artistic value of his oeuvre.
While perhaps not possessing the sublime romanticism of Conrad Martens or the unique vision of John Glover, Prout's contribution is distinct and significant. He provided a comprehensive, accessible, and often charming visual narrative of colonial life. His influence extended through his teaching and his widely circulated prints, helping to shape how both colonists and those in Britain perceived Australia. He played a crucial role in establishing a tradition of landscape painting and printmaking in Australia.
Conclusion: An Enduring Vision
John Skinner Prout was an artist of his time, reflecting the tastes and attitudes of the 19th century. Yet, his work transcends mere historical curiosity. His skill as a watercolourist, his pioneering use of lithography in Australia, and the sheer breadth of his documentation of colonial life ensure his enduring importance. He provided a vision of Australia that was both informative and aesthetically pleasing, capturing the unique character of a land undergoing rapid change. As an art historian, one appreciates Prout not only for the beauty and skill evident in his works but also for the rich historical and cultural insights they continue to offer generations later. His art remains a vital link to Australia's colonial past, rendered with an observant eye and a skilled hand.
