North Porch of Chartres Cathedral

This view is an example of a capriccio painting. This term is used to describe works that combine real and imagined architecture and topography to create fantasy views. The right hand side of this watercolour is based on the west doorway of the north transept of Chartres Cathedral near Paris in France. The left hand side of the composition and the buildings in the background are imaginary. Prout began to make capriccio paintings and watercolours like 'North Porch of Chartres Cathedral' later in his career. This work was probably made in the early 1840s.