Plane Tree Cottage c. 1926

Robert Austin sketched *Plane Tree Cottage* using graphite on paper, presenting us with a study in delicate lines and spatial arrangements. The composition is quietly evocative, with the cottage nestled amidst the trees. Austin plays with perspective here, positioning the viewer at a distance, yet the details of the cottage and the surrounding foliage are rendered with precision. Note how the skeletal lines of the trees contrast with the more defined structure of the cottage. Semiotically, the cottage can be seen as a signifier of domesticity, while the plane tree could symbolize nature. The artist uses line to create a balance, engaging with the visual language of rural idyll. The sketch invites us to reflect on the relationship between human habitation and the natural environment. It's a space where Austin explores the dialectic between the built and natural worlds. He leaves the work open-ended, encouraging ongoing interpretation.