Artwork
Drake's Island, Plymouth Sound
Drake's Island, Plymouth Sound is a drawing by Samuel Prout. It dates from 1827 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
Samuel Prout’s drawing titled Drake’s Island, Plymouth Sound, executed around 1827, presents a tranquil maritime landscape. The work is part of the collection at the Cleveland Museum of Art. It captures a coastal viewpoint with a rocky promontory in the foreground, a calm sea extending to the horizon, and a modest sky rendered in muted tones.
Subject & Meaning
The composition centers on a moss‑laden outcrop that anchors the scene, while a small vessel near the shore and a distant ship navigating the waters suggest ordinary seafaring activity. The subdued palette and gentle horizon convey a sense of quiet observation rather than dramatic narrative, inviting contemplation of the everyday relationship between land and sea.
Technique & Style
Prout employs fine pen work and washes to delineate texture, using light and shadow to model the rock faces and water surface. The delicate gradations of grey and blue create atmospheric depth, while the touches of green on the vegetation break the monochrome scheme. The drawing’s linear precision and subtle tonal modulation reflect Prout’s skill in rendering topographical detail.
History & Provenance
Created in the early nineteenth century, the drawing entered the Cleveland Museum of Art’s holdings through acquisition (specific acquisition details are not recorded in the available sources). Its presence in the museum’s collection underscores the institution’s interest in British landscape drawing of the period.
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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…
