Cedar 1789

John Robert Cozens created this drawing of a Cedar tree using pen and grey ink with grey wash. Notice how the tree dominates the composition, its form built up through intricate layers of ink wash. Cozens uses line and shadow to model the cedar’s mass, giving the tree a tangible presence, while the layered washes create depth and volume, contrasting with the lighter, sketchier background. This is a classic example of the picturesque aesthetic, which sought to find beauty in the natural landscape, but viewed through a lens of formal composition. Consider the relationship between the wildness of nature and artistic order. Cozens’ manipulation of tone and form results in an image that is both a representation and a carefully constructed visual experience, opening up questions about how we perceive and shape the natural world through art.