Plate 16 c. 1785

Editor: Alexander Cozens' "Plate 16" appears to be a landscape rendered in ink, or perhaps a print. The stark contrast creates a mood of rugged desolation. What do you see in this piece? Curator: It's a world of contrasts, isn't it? Like a dreamscape caught in ink. Cozens was all about the "blot" – using accidental marks to spark imagination. He saw potential landscapes lurking in random shapes. Do you see how the mountain almost seems to loom, despite being relatively small on the page? Editor: I do, it feels monumental somehow! It’s intriguing how such simple marks can evoke so much. Curator: Exactly! And that's the beauty of it. Cozens wasn't trying to paint a specific place, but rather unlock the viewer's own inner landscape. It’s almost like Rorschach, but for landscapes. Editor: It’s amazing how art can be both so simple and so profound. Curator: Precisely! That’s why I always say, trust your first impression – it’s often the most honest.