Ghent 1833

Samuel Prout made this lithograph of Ghent during the first half of the 19th century. Prout was a master of architectural rendering, and his images often documented the transformations of European cities during the Industrial Revolution. Notice the bustling street scene, where laborers are busily engaged in moving materials, framed by the looming presence of Ghent’s historic architecture. The print offers a glimpse into a society undergoing rapid change, yet still rooted in its past. Prout’s work invites us to consider the intersection of labor, class, and urban development. Consider how the artist chose to represent the city not just as a collection of buildings, but as a space inhabited and shaped by human activity. It's easy to imagine the sounds and smells of this busy place, and the lives of the people who moved through it each day.