A Cavern in the Campagna, Rome

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Request to view at the Prints & Drawings Study Room, level E , Case DR, Shelf 111

Artist/Maker	Cozens, John Robert (artist)
Place of origin	Rome (painted)

This is one of the most original watercolours of the 18th century. It is very different from the usual scenes of the sunny Italian countryside. Here John Robert Cozens (1752-1797) explores the darkness and danger of the cave.

‘The sublime’ was an 18th century aesthetic concept.. It centred around the notion of awe inspiring intensity. It was also an important subject of debate. The idea of the sublime inspired Cozens in this watercolour.

Object details

Categories	Drawings Paintings SCRAN Topographical Watercolours
Object type	Watercolour
Title	A Cavern in the Campagna, Rome (popular title)
Materials and techniques	Watercolour Watercolour Drawing
Brief description	John Robert Cozens, 'A Cavern in the Campagna, Rome', watercolour, 1778
Physical description	Watercolour view inside a large cavern in the countryside surrounding Rome. Signed and dated.
Dimensions	Height: 41.5cm Width: 61cm Dimensions taken from departmental notes
Style	British School
Marks and inscriptions	Signed and dated 1778
Credit line	Bequeathed by William Smith
Subjects depicted	Sublime, The Cave
Places depicted	Rome (Province) Campagna
Associations	Lazio Italy
Summary	This is one of the most original watercolours of the 18th century. It is very different from the usual scenes of the sunny Italian countryside. Here John Robert Cozens (1752-1797) explores the darkness and danger of the cave. ‘The sublime’ was an 18th century aesthetic concept.. It centred around the notion of awe inspiring intensity. It was also an important subject of debate. The idea of the sublime inspired Cozens in this watercolour.
Bibliographic references	Moore, Andrew and Nigel Larkin, eds. Art at the Rockface. The Fascination of Stone (London, 2006) C. F. Bell and T. Girtin, 'The Drawings and Sketches of John Robert Cozens: A Catalogue with an Historical Introduction', The Walpole Society, vol. 23, 1934-35, cat. no. 134, p. 43
Collection	Prints, Drawings & Paintings Collection
Accession number	3020-1876

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Record created	January 30, 2003
Record URL	https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O73615/a-cavern-in-the-campagna-watercolour-cozens-john-robert/

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