Westminster from Vauxhall

In this small print, the Palace of Westminster can be seen from the site of Vauxhall.

In the foreground, on the banks of the River Thames, fishermen are depicted by a moored boat. A rowing boat and other craft are already on the water and can be seen as far into the distance as Westminster Bridge, on the far right.

This engraving by George Cooke followed Samuel Prout's watercolour. Prout moved to London in 1802 and contributed to illustrations of John Britton's 'Architectural Antiquities of Great Britain'. A significant amount of Prout's income came from the burgeoning British print trade and Cooke was among his publishing friends.

A pioneer in the technique of lithography, Prout published 'Prout's Microcosm: the Artist's Sketchbook' in 1841. He also compiled manuals on how to paint in watercolour. The first of these, 'Rudiments of Landscape in Progressive Studies', was published in 1813.

Admired by the art critic John Ruskin, Prout was appointed 'Painter in Water-Colours in Ordinary to His Majesty' in 1829. The following year he became a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries.