Monte Circeo at Sunset

1780s

John Robert Cozens

Associated Names
John Robert Cozens

Artist, British, 1752 - 1799

The image is a landscape viewed from an elevated angle. The horizon is visible in the distance, with mountains meeting the sky. The sun is present behind a dominant mountain mass. The brushstrokes create a smooth texture blending the elements, including the sky and clouds that cover much of the upper part of the image. The color palette includes earthy tones in the foreground, transitioning to grays and blues in the water and mountains, and pale blues and creams in the sky. In the lower right, there is a curving path with a small group of figures walking towards the landscape. The overall atmosphere is tranquil and serene.

Media Options

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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    watercolor on paper; laid down on original presentation mount

  • Credit Line

    Pepita Milmore Memorial Fund

  • Dimensions

    support: 38.9 x 54 cm (15 5/16 x 21 1/4 in.)

  • Accession Number

    1988.23.2


Artwork history & notes

Provenance

Mrs. Nowell Clarke; (sold, Sotheby's London, 11 July 1945, no. 45); (Thomas Agnew & Sons, London). Mount Trust. Dr. Marc Fitch [1908-1994]; (Leger Galleries, London, in 1988); acquired 1988 by the National Gallery of Art.

Associated Names

Exhibition History

1987

  • English Drawings and Watercolors, 1630-1850, National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC, 1987-1988, no cat.

1993

  • The Great Age of British Watercolors 1750-1880, National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1993.

2006

  • The Artist's Vision: Romantic Traditions in Great Britain, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., 2006 - 2007

Bibliography

1988

  • Leger Galleries. The Fitch Collection. London, 3/16/88-4/15/88: no. 8.

Inscriptions

lower left in black ink on mount: J. Cozens.

Wikidata ID

Q64583872

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