Church of Graville near Havre de Grace, Normandy; End of the North Transept 1817

Curator: Standing before us is John Sell Cotman's "Church of Graville near Havre de Grace, Normandy; End of the North Transept," created in 1817 using pencil and brown wash on paper. Editor: Well, my initial reaction is a hush, a whisper of centuries. There’s a solemn grandeur even in this study, a kind of architectural portraiture, where light etches history onto stone. Curator: Precisely! Cotman has rendered the stark geometry of the medieval church with incredible precision, hasn’t he? Notice the clean, incisive lines; the tonal gradations achieve depth and solidity without fuss. Editor: The drawing is beautiful, but its the simplicity I love, the stark way he isolates this corner of the building—makes you feel its solitude against the sky. The little scrabble of scrubby grass below, it feels like tenacity, almost defiant. Curator: Tenacity is a superb observation. He flattens the picture plane which does give the building a graphic quality, almost anticipating modern abstraction! Cotman really distills the essence of form and structure, and notice that beautiful rhythm made with the arrangement of the arches! Editor: So, tell me, why this church in particular? Was it famed even back then, or just another of the beautiful churches? Curator: Cotman was part of a larger picturesque movement, traveling and recording buildings and landscapes with a strong interest in medieval structures. This church was part of this record. Cotman documented architecture for its own inherent formal qualities. Editor: I like the almost melancholic beauty in this simple study. It really feels like time made visible in light and stone, an attempt to hold onto something before it changes forever. Curator: I concur, I believe the play of light and shadow elevates the study into something more than a mere architectural drawing; there’s an emotional charge there as well. The way it simplifies form while maintaining clarity does resonate. Editor: Indeed. This glimpse through Cotman's eyes reminds us to find that strange, poignant beauty in what we see every day. And appreciate a man armed only with paper and a pencil and a need to show his interpretation.