Study of Trees 1789

Editor: Here we have John Robert Cozens' "Study of Trees" from the late 18th century, held at the Tate. It's delicate, mostly brown ink, and feels very much of its time. How do you see the role of nature being presented here? Curator: It's interesting to consider Cozens' work within the picturesque movement. How does this depiction reflect the social values and aesthetic tastes of the British elite at the time? Were these landscapes sites of leisure, property, or something else? Editor: I suppose the tree is also a symbolic representation of ownership and control, or perhaps an idealized English countryside? Curator: Exactly. Think about who commissioned and consumed these images. The art market and the elite's patronage were crucial to shaping Cozens' vision. It is more than just a study of trees. Editor: I had not thought about the art market being so important to the depiction of nature, thank you. Curator: Of course. These landscapes can be powerful carriers of socio-political meaning.