Artwork
San Giorgio dei Greci, Seen from an Arcade
San Giorgio dei Greci, Seen from an Arcade is an ink drawing by the Romanticist artist Samuel Prout. It dates from 1826 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
San Giorgio dei Greci, Seen from an Arcade is a 1826 drawing by Samuel Prout, executed in a combination of pen and ink, watercolor, gouache, and gum arabic on paper. The work captures a serene, populated scene in Venice, focusing on architectural detail and everyday life.
Subject & Meaning
The drawing depicts a tranquil Venetian scene: a canal bridge, a gondola, groups of people, and ornate buildings with tall towers under a clear blue sky. It conveys a sense of lively yet calm daily life in the city, emphasizing the interplay between architecture and human activity.
Technique & Style
Prout employed soft colors and meticulous lines to achieve depth and atmosphere. The use of watercolor and gouache allowed for subtle layering, while gum arabic enhanced certain details. The overall effect is one of nuanced, observed detail characteristic of Prout's architectural and genre scenes.
History & Provenance
Created in 1826, the drawing reflects Prout's pioneering work in British watercolour, particularly in capturing grand, picturesque continental cityscapes. Prout later held royal appointments as Painter in Water-Colours to King George IV and Queen Victoria.
Context
This work sits within Prout's broader oeuvre of European city scenes, which helped establish the genre of grand street views in British watercolour. Its attention to architectural detail and human activity is typical of his approach to capturing urban life.
Artist & collection
Artist
Samuel Prout (; 17 September 1783 – 10 February 1852) was a British watercolourist, and one of the masters of watercolour architectural painting, who largely invented the genre of the grand steet scene in British…
The Casa d'Oro, Venice
A Gondola on the Grand Canal, Venice
The Campo di SS. Giovanni e Paolo, Venice
View of Venice: The Dome of Santa Maria della Salute Seen from the Rear of the Da Mula Palace, looking Eastward
The Rialto Bridge, Venice
The Grand Canal
The Grand Canal, Venice, Looking Toward the Rialto
Scene on a Canal
Canal scene in Venice