St. John and the three Marys at the cross 1810 - 1821

Richard Cosway created this drawing, *St. John and the three Marys at the cross*, using pen and brown ink. The composition is immediately striking for its use of horizontal layering. The figures are arranged in superimposed tiers, creating a sense of compressed space and emotional intensity. Cosway's use of line is particularly expressive. He employs short, rapid strokes to build up the forms, giving them a sense of dynamism and movement. The hatching creates areas of shadow and light, adding depth to the figures and emphasizing their emotional distress. The open composition and the unfinished quality invite the viewer to contemplate the raw, unfiltered grief of the scene. The arrangement of the figures in distinct planes suggests a hierarchy of suffering. This construction invites interpretation, but equally refrains from dictating a singular meaning. The drawing remains open, its power residing in the tension between its formal structure and the emotional weight of its subject matter.