DOI Heft:
No. 287 (February 1917)
DOI Artikel:Gibson, Frank: The art of Alexander and John Robert Cozens
DOI Seite / Zitierlink:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.24576#0020
The Art of Alexander and John Robert Cozens
painter was cut short by insanity. He was
under the care of Dr. Munro from 1794 until his
death, the exact date of which is uncertain. It
is commonly given as 1799, but there is evidence
that he was living in 1801, for the paper of one
of his drawings, called Lake Nemi, bears the
watermark of that year.
The reputation of John Robert Cozens rests
chiefly with his Italian drawings. Many of his
grandest water-colours are of Rome, its neigh-
bourhood, and of the country round Naples.
Some of the finest of these are now in the
collections of Mr. Thomas Girtin and Mr. C.
Morland Agnew, and the most important ones
are reproduced in these pages. Other phases of
his art, such as the Swiss drawings, can be well
studied in the Henderson
Collection at the British
Museum, and also at the
Victoria and Albert
Museum. Some of the
Italian water-colours are
of large size, such as the
Monte Cavo with Lake
Albano, which is one of
three large drawings of
the same lake from
different points of view
which Mr. Girtin pos-
sesses. The reproduction
of this particular one
shows how fine it is—
perhaps the finest of its
austere but beautiful
kind which the younger
Cozens ever did. Mr.
Agnew has a similar
version of one of these
drawings, here repro-
duced in colour.
The reproduction of
Mr. Agnew’s other water-
colours, such as the Villa
Negroni, Lake N e m i,
the beautiful valley
scene with rays of sun-
light striking through
the clouds (an effect
which Alexander Cozens
attempted with scant
success), the drawings
belonging to Mr. Girtin,
such as the fascinating
14
little View near Porta Pinciana, Rome, the
Tomb of the Plantian Family, and the Italian
valley scene ought to give some idea of the
beautiful art of J. R. Cozens. Though they
are almost monochromes, they suggest colour
perfectly, but above all it is the tender poetical
sentiment which he infused into these land-
scapes that makes him one of the most original
and imaginative of landscape painters. It is
not surprising that Turner eagerly copied many
of his drawings, or that Constable said “ he
was the greatest genius that ever touched land-
scape." Though in achievement he excelled his
father, he owed him much. And it is evident
that the art of both father and son influenced
the whole art of landscape painting in England.
“VIEW NEAR PORTA PINCIANA, ROME” BY J. R. COZENS_t
(In the Collection of Thomas Girtin, Esq.)
painter was cut short by insanity. He was
under the care of Dr. Munro from 1794 until his
death, the exact date of which is uncertain. It
is commonly given as 1799, but there is evidence
that he was living in 1801, for the paper of one
of his drawings, called Lake Nemi, bears the
watermark of that year.
The reputation of John Robert Cozens rests
chiefly with his Italian drawings. Many of his
grandest water-colours are of Rome, its neigh-
bourhood, and of the country round Naples.
Some of the finest of these are now in the
collections of Mr. Thomas Girtin and Mr. C.
Morland Agnew, and the most important ones
are reproduced in these pages. Other phases of
his art, such as the Swiss drawings, can be well
studied in the Henderson
Collection at the British
Museum, and also at the
Victoria and Albert
Museum. Some of the
Italian water-colours are
of large size, such as the
Monte Cavo with Lake
Albano, which is one of
three large drawings of
the same lake from
different points of view
which Mr. Girtin pos-
sesses. The reproduction
of this particular one
shows how fine it is—
perhaps the finest of its
austere but beautiful
kind which the younger
Cozens ever did. Mr.
Agnew has a similar
version of one of these
drawings, here repro-
duced in colour.
The reproduction of
Mr. Agnew’s other water-
colours, such as the Villa
Negroni, Lake N e m i,
the beautiful valley
scene with rays of sun-
light striking through
the clouds (an effect
which Alexander Cozens
attempted with scant
success), the drawings
belonging to Mr. Girtin,
such as the fascinating
14
little View near Porta Pinciana, Rome, the
Tomb of the Plantian Family, and the Italian
valley scene ought to give some idea of the
beautiful art of J. R. Cozens. Though they
are almost monochromes, they suggest colour
perfectly, but above all it is the tender poetical
sentiment which he infused into these land-
scapes that makes him one of the most original
and imaginative of landscape painters. It is
not surprising that Turner eagerly copied many
of his drawings, or that Constable said “ he
was the greatest genius that ever touched land-
scape." Though in achievement he excelled his
father, he owed him much. And it is evident
that the art of both father and son influenced
the whole art of landscape painting in England.
“VIEW NEAR PORTA PINCIANA, ROME” BY J. R. COZENS_t
(In the Collection of Thomas Girtin, Esq.)