A Lake below Mountains 

Editor: Here we have Alexander Cozens’ "A Lake below Mountains," a small sketch housed at the Tate. It's quite minimal, almost ghostly. What strikes you about it? Curator: The beauty lies in the compositional structure. Observe how Cozens divides the plane—the upper two-thirds dedicated to the sky and mountains, contrasted by the lower third depicting the lake and foliage. Editor: I see what you mean. It’s almost mathematical. Curator: Precisely. The subtle gradations in tone, achieved through delicate line work, create a sense of depth despite the limited palette. Consider how this minimalist approach evokes the sublime through pure form. Editor: So the impact comes from the relationship between these simple shapes? Curator: Indeed. It reveals the power of reductive composition. Editor: I'll never look at a landscape the same way again.