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'Blot' drawing

Drawing
ca.1750-86 (drawn)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

The artist and drawing-master Alexander Cozens regarded drawing as a means of tapping the imagination. He devised a method of drawing a ‘blot’ with ink and a broad brush. This had to be done rapidly and without too much conscious thought. The ‘blot’ would then be used as the basis for an invented landscape: any contours suggestive of trees, hills and mountains would be traced and used to create a new composition.

Object details

Categories
Object type
Titles
  • 'Blot' drawing (assigned by artist)
  • Landscape study (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Brush and black ink
Brief description
'Blot' drawing by Alexander Cozens (1717-1786), idea for a landscape in brush and black ink. Great Britain, ca.1750-86.
Physical description
Landscape study in brush and black ink.
Dimensions
  • Height: 7.25in
  • Width: 9in
Dimensions taken from departmental notes
Subject depicted
Summary
The artist and drawing-master Alexander Cozens regarded drawing as a means of tapping the imagination. He devised a method of drawing a ‘blot’ with ink and a broad brush. This had to be done rapidly and without too much conscious thought. The ‘blot’ would then be used as the basis for an invented landscape: any contours suggestive of trees, hills and mountains would be traced and used to create a new composition.
Collection
Accession number
E.4277-1920

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Record createdJune 30, 2009
Record URL
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