French Street with a Medieval Turret, Samuel Prout
In the National Gallery of Art, DC.
The National Gallery’s page says this was done in brush and watercolor, as apparently does the artist’s inscription, but I would have assumed an initial drawing in pen and brown ink. Though it exists in that fascinating boundary between drawing and painting that watercolor often traverses, this feels much more like a drawing than a painting to me.
It’s hard to tell if some color has been lost since the early 19th century, but I love the subtle bits of color, particularly blue, within the otherwise largely monochromatic composition. I also love the atmospheric feeling of the background street, and wonderful touches like the stylish sign on the wine store.
The original is roughly 12×9 inches (30x22cm).
