Setting Sun 1770 - 1773

"Setting Sun" is an oil painting created between 1770 and 1773 by English artist Alexander Cozens, known for his pioneering work in the field of landscape painting. The painting, currently housed at The Whitworth in Manchester, England, is a striking example of Cozens' unique style, which emphasizes the effects of light and atmosphere. The composition is dominated by a vast, dramatic sky, filled with swirling, textured clouds that seem to move across the canvas. The setting sun casts a warm glow across the scene, illuminating the distant horizon and the few trees in the foreground, creating a sense of depth and tranquility. Cozens' "blotting" technique, in which he used blotting paper to create cloud shapes, adds an ethereal quality to the artwork, further contributing to its ethereal ambiance.