The Dictionary of Australasian Biography/Prout, John Skinner
Prout, John Skinner, a well-known artist and nephew of Samuel Prout, who became famous as a painter of the churches, streets, and market-places of Normandy, was born at Plymouth in 1806. He early developed artistic tastes, and turned his attention to water colours, in which he was mainly self-taught. In conjunction with Mr. Müller, he published in 1836 "The Antiquities of Bristol," in which city he resided for a number of years. He went to Sydney in 1840, and followed his art with good results, several of his water colours being still in the local galleries. In 1845 Mr. Prout visited Tasmania, and subsequently issued his "Tasmania Illustrated" in four series. Mr. Prout returned to England in 1850 and became a member of the Institute of Painters in Water Colours, at whose exhibitions he was represented till his death on August 29th, 1876, at Camden Town, near London. After his return from Australia he wrote to the artistic periodicals on the development of Australian art. He also exhibited his Australian sketches at the Crystal Palace.