Charles West Cope

British, 1811 - 1890

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This is a drawing of a dimly lit interior scene featuring a slumbering figure. The image depicts a sparse room with a bed, a small nightstand or table, a window, and a person lying in bed. Above the resting figure, there appears to be a faint, ethereal form. On the table next to the bed, a single burning lamp casts a soft glow illuminating an open book. The room is lined with curtains and a window is visible. The style of the drawing employs a stippling technique.
Charles West Cope, Milton's Dream of his Deceased Wife, 1850/1857, etching on chine collé, Gift of Thomas Vogler in Memory of his brother, Donald Vogler, 2017.130.1

Milton's Dream of his Deceased Wife

Charles West Cope · 1850/1857 · etching on chine collé ·  Accession ID  2017.130.1

The image shows a person lying in bed, covered by a blanket. They are lying on their side with one hand under their head and the other on their face. The person has medium-length tousled hair and a partially visible face turned towards the viewer. The bed is next to a window, with a small table holding an open book and a lamp. A window in the background reveals a cross against the moonlit night sky. The room is dimly lit.
Charles West Cope, Milton's Dream of His Deceased Wife, c. 1850, etching on Chinese paper, Ailsa Mellon Bruce Fund, 2019.73.1

Milton's Dream of His Deceased Wife

Charles West Cope · c. 1850 · etching on Chinese paper ·  Accession ID  2019.73.1

The artwork features two figures: a woman and an infant sitting closely together. The woman is positioned slightly to the left, turned towards the child with her head tilted down. Her facial features include softly arched eyebrows and a serene expression. Her hair is covered by a loosely wrapped head covering. The infant is nestled against the woman's side, with its head near her shoulder. The child's face is simple and round. Both figures wear flowing garments depicted with loose, fluid lines. The background is abstract with dark, expressive strokes and a generally textured appearance, hinting at an indoor setting. The lines are bold and the forms are sketched in a loose, gestural style, emphasizing the intimate atmosphere between the two figures.
Charles West Cope, Woman Reading to a Child, pen and brown ink with brown wash on wove paper, Gift of William B. O'Neal, 1995.52.28

Woman Reading to a Child

Charles West Cope · · pen and brown ink with brown wash on wove paper ·  Accession ID  1995.52.28

Bibliography

1907

  • Ref Number: VII.329
    T.-B.VII.329