Facade of Davington Church c. 19th century

Editor: This is Samuel Prout's "Facade of Davington Church," a drawing from the 19th century. There's something quite stark and unadorned about the building in this sketch. What social narratives do you think this work is trying to convey? Curator: It's interesting you describe it as unadorned. I see it as a commentary on power structures. Churches, historically, were grand displays of wealth and authority. Prout’s rendering, however, offers a more humble, almost austere, vision. Do you think this simplicity challenges the traditional image of the church? Editor: It definitely does! It makes me consider how Prout uses architecture to communicate a sense of the church's evolving role in society. Curator: Exactly! Perhaps a call for a return to simpler values, or a critique of the Church's perceived extravagance at the time.