Sachsenhausen Francfort 1833

Samuel Prout made this print, Sachsenhausen Francfort, sometime in the first half of the 19th century. Prout was celebrated for his ability to capture the charm of European cityscapes, particularly their medieval architecture. This image shows the Sachsenhausen district in Frankfurt. Take a moment to consider the people Prout includes. They appear to be local residents going about their daily lives; their grouping seems to emphasize community and connection. However, it's important to note that Prout, as a British artist, was an outsider looking in. His representation of Frankfurt is inevitably shaped by his own cultural perspective and the romanticism of the era. Prout’s work was highly sought after by the British middle class who collected such images as records of The Grand Tour. So, while the image appears to simply depict a street scene, it's also a carefully constructed representation intended for a specific audience with its own set of expectations and desires.