A blasted tree in a landscape
Maker
(artist)
1717-1786
1717-1786
Title
A blasted tree in a landscape
Date of Production
(circa) 1780
Medium
traces of graphite, brown ink and brown wash on brown laid paper (treated with a turpentine varnish), laid down on artist's mount and framed in brown wash lines
Dimensions
Height: 31.5 cm
Width: 40.5 cm
Width: 40.5 cm
Accession Number
D.1967.WS.29
Mode of Acquisition
William Wycliffe Spooner, bequest, 1967
Credit
The Courtauld, London (Samuel Courtauld Trust)
Copyright
Work in the public domain
Location
Not currently on display
Keywords
Label Text
An obsessive theoriser, Alexander Cozens propounded his systems for composing imaginary landscapes and categorizing natural phenomena in various publications. This format of a large close-up tree resembles one of sixteen basic ‘types’ designed to arouse emotion in the viewer. An awesome effect is created by the ancient lightening-struck tree, most probably a blasted oak, a mythological symbol of divine wrath.
Provenance
Benjamin West, London (1738-1820), L.419; J.M. Reveley; Mr and Mrs William Wycliffe Spooner, Ilkley (1882-1967); Spooner Bequest 1967
Exhibition History
Drawings Gallery Display - Regarding Trees, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 18/06/2016-25/09/2016
A Dialogue with Nature: Romantic Landscapes from Britain and Germany, The Morgan Library, New York, 30/05/2014-07/09/2014
A Dialogue with Nature: Romantic Landscapes from Britain and Germany, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 30/01/2014-27/04/2014 ...More
British Watercolours from the Spooner Collection, Huntington Museum and Art Gallery, Los Angeles, 12/02/2005-15/05/2005
British Watercolours from the Spooner Collection, Huntington Museum of Art, Los Angeles, 12/02/2005-15/05/2005; Wordsworth Trust, Grasmere, 18/07/2005-23/10/2005; Hermitage Rooms, Somerset House, London, 16/11/2005-12/02/2006
Master Drawings from the Courtauld Collections, Courtauld Institute Galleries, London, 16/10/1991-19/01/1992
The Northern Landscape: Flemish, Dutch and British Drawings from the Courtauld Collections, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 03/09/1986-30/11/1986; The Drawing Center, New York, 08/04/1986-26/07/1986
English Landscape Drawings and Watercolours, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 01/06/1979-01/09/1979
English Landscape Drawing and Watercolours, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 01/05/1977-01/06/1977
The William Spooner Collection and Bequest, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 1974
English Watercolours: The Spooner Collection and Bequest, City Art Gallery, Bristol, 11/05/1973-02/06/1973
English Landscape Drawings [catalogue not found], Rye Art Gallery, England, 1971
Royal Academy of Arts Bicentenary Exhibition, Royal Academy of Arts, London, 14/12/1968-02/03/1969
The William Spooner Collection and Bequest, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 01/04/1968-01/07/1968 ...Less
A Dialogue with Nature: Romantic Landscapes from Britain and Germany, The Morgan Library, New York, 30/05/2014-07/09/2014
A Dialogue with Nature: Romantic Landscapes from Britain and Germany, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 30/01/2014-27/04/2014 ...More
British Watercolours from the Spooner Collection, Huntington Museum and Art Gallery, Los Angeles, 12/02/2005-15/05/2005
British Watercolours from the Spooner Collection, Huntington Museum of Art, Los Angeles, 12/02/2005-15/05/2005; Wordsworth Trust, Grasmere, 18/07/2005-23/10/2005; Hermitage Rooms, Somerset House, London, 16/11/2005-12/02/2006
Master Drawings from the Courtauld Collections, Courtauld Institute Galleries, London, 16/10/1991-19/01/1992
The Northern Landscape: Flemish, Dutch and British Drawings from the Courtauld Collections, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 03/09/1986-30/11/1986; The Drawing Center, New York, 08/04/1986-26/07/1986
English Landscape Drawings and Watercolours, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 01/06/1979-01/09/1979
English Landscape Drawing and Watercolours, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 01/05/1977-01/06/1977
The William Spooner Collection and Bequest, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 1974
English Watercolours: The Spooner Collection and Bequest, City Art Gallery, Bristol, 11/05/1973-02/06/1973
English Landscape Drawings [catalogue not found], Rye Art Gallery, England, 1971
Royal Academy of Arts Bicentenary Exhibition, Royal Academy of Arts, London, 14/12/1968-02/03/1969
The William Spooner Collection and Bequest, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 01/04/1968-01/07/1968 ...Less
Literature
The William Spooner Collection and Bequest, Courtauld Gallery, London, 1968
cat. no. 3
English Watercolours: The Spooner Collection and Bequest, City Art Gallery, Bristol, 1973
cat. no. 15
The William Spooner Collection and Bequest, Courtauld Gallery, London, 1974
cat. no. 2 ...More
English Landscape Drawing and Watercolours, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 1977
cat. no. 5
English Landscape Drawings and Watercolours, Courtauld Gallery, London, 1979
cat. no. 10
Mantegna to Cezanne: Master Drawings from the Courtauld, British Museum, London, 1983
no. 81, p. 71
ill. on p. 88
The Northern Landscape: Flemish, Dutch and British Drawings from the Courtauld Collections, Courtauld Gallery, London, 1986
cat. no. 83
ill. on p. 191
Farr, Dennis, 100 Masterpieces from the Courtauld Collections, London: Courtauld Institute Galleries, 1987
p. 182
ill. on p. 183
Fleming-Williams, Ian, Constable and his drawings, London: Philip Wilson, 1990
p. 286
fig. 260 on p. 287
Master Drawings from the Courtauld Collections, Courtauld Institute Galleries, London, 1991
cat. no. 29
pp. 66, 178
ill. on p. 67
The Spooner Collection of British Watercolours, Courtauld Institute Galleries; Huntington Library; Wordsworth Trust, 2005-06
cat. no. 6
ill. on p. 85 ...Less
cat. no. 3
English Watercolours: The Spooner Collection and Bequest, City Art Gallery, Bristol, 1973
cat. no. 15
The William Spooner Collection and Bequest, Courtauld Gallery, London, 1974
cat. no. 2 ...More
English Landscape Drawing and Watercolours, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 1977
cat. no. 5
English Landscape Drawings and Watercolours, Courtauld Gallery, London, 1979
cat. no. 10
Mantegna to Cezanne: Master Drawings from the Courtauld, British Museum, London, 1983
no. 81, p. 71
ill. on p. 88
The Northern Landscape: Flemish, Dutch and British Drawings from the Courtauld Collections, Courtauld Gallery, London, 1986
cat. no. 83
ill. on p. 191
Farr, Dennis, 100 Masterpieces from the Courtauld Collections, London: Courtauld Institute Galleries, 1987
p. 182
ill. on p. 183
Fleming-Williams, Ian, Constable and his drawings, London: Philip Wilson, 1990
p. 286
fig. 260 on p. 287
Master Drawings from the Courtauld Collections, Courtauld Institute Galleries, London, 1991
cat. no. 29
pp. 66, 178
ill. on p. 67
The Spooner Collection of British Watercolours, Courtauld Institute Galleries; Huntington Library; Wordsworth Trust, 2005-06
cat. no. 6
ill. on p. 85 ...Less
Inscriptions
Watermark: Watermark: centre: “D & C / B” within a shield [difficult to see as is laid down, but per notes in the file]. Support (historic): centre: “D&C BLAUW / IV”.
Collector's mark: Recto; lower left corner, blindstamped: :Benjamin West (L.419).
Inscription: Recto: upper right corner, graphite: “B”. Support (historic), Recto: lower left corner, grey ink, signed by the artist: “Alex.r Cozens.”. Support (historic), Verso: upper right corner, graphite, circled: “14”; lower right corner, graphite, Colnaghi number: “A 21365”.
Collector's mark: Recto; lower left corner, blindstamped: :Benjamin West (L.419).
Inscription: Recto: upper right corner, graphite: “B”. Support (historic), Recto: lower left corner, grey ink, signed by the artist: “Alex.r Cozens.”. Support (historic), Verso: upper right corner, graphite, circled: “14”; lower right corner, graphite, Colnaghi number: “A 21365”.
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