Close of Day 

Curator: Alexander Cozens' "Close of Day" presents a landscape shrouded in twilight—it's quite small, only 158 by 185mm. The scene evokes a sense of quiet melancholy. Editor: Yes, the somber tones create an atmosphere of resignation. The dark tree dominates the composition, framing the distant hills and the sliver of a moon. Curator: The materials themselves contribute. Cozens' likely rapid brushwork emphasizes the fleeting moment, the end of the working day. Editor: I agree, and this also emphasizes the symbolic language of romanticism, where nature becomes a mirror for human emotion. The formal contrasts underscore that relationship. Curator: I wonder what kind of labor Cozens, his patrons, and his suppliers were all engaged in. These materials weren't available to just anybody... Editor: Regardless, Cozens' manipulation of tone and form transforms the mundane close of day into a reflection on mortality. It's a beautiful distillation of form.