21. The Same as the Last, but Darker at the Bottom than the Top 

Curator: This is "21. The Same as the Last, but Darker at the Bottom than the Top" by Alexander Cozens. Editor: It feels incredibly simple, almost like a rudimentary exercise in shading. What’s interesting, though, is the labor of its creation—the meticulous cross-hatching that builds up the dark mass. Curator: Cozens was interested in the sublime, and how landscape painting could evoke powerful emotional responses. This piece, though small, hints at larger themes of nature's overwhelming force. Editor: But isn't the sublime also about the materials themselves? The paper, the ink, the very act of engraving to reproduce the feel of nature… Curator: Absolutely. And consider the historical context—the rise of landscape painting as a genre, tied to notions of empire and control over nature. How did these images shape perceptions? Editor: Right. So, in its own way, this little sketch opens up huge questions. Curator: Precisely, and that, to me, is its power. Editor: I agree, a small image but with a significant impact.