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gained a knowledge of their art and its processes, and was soon employed to carry on the less important parts of the scene painters' work. He remained four years with the Birmingham company; travelled with the manager to Leicester and other places, coming on the stage when required in a subordinate character. Meanwhile, this employment aroused in him a love for landscape, and laid the foundation for some of the finest qualities of his future art.
Moving from place to place with the company, the unsettled life had become very distasteful to him, and he came in 1803 to London, where ne gained employ- ment in the scene-loft of Astley's Theatre. Attracted by the sight of some water-colour drawings, he determined to try that art, which was then making great progress. He fortunately made the acquaintance of John Varley, wno gave him access to his studio, and he soon made such progress in the new art as to enable him to leave the scene-loft. He added to his means by teaching, and during his long art career was distinguished as a teacher. In 1805 he made his first visit to Wales, and on his return exhibited some drawings from Welsh scenery. Re- siding on Dulwich Common, he improved in his art by the diligent study of the sur- rounding scenery, and learnt to render the varied effects of nature and the aspects of morning, noon, and close of day. In 1813 he was elected a member of the Society of Painters in Water-Colours, and was a large contributor to the Society's Exhibitions. He was in the following year appointed a teacher at the Military College, Bagshot, but the duties were unsuited to his disposi- tion, and he resigned after a few months, and in 1815 went to reside at Hereford, where he lived till 1829, usually visiting the Metropolis in the spring to keep up his acquaintance with art and his brother artists.
From his admission to the Water-Colour Society to the year of his death he was a constant exhibitor, contributing a very large number of works. His drawings were chiefly from the scenery of his own country. He was fond of the Thames, and painted many views on that river — the vessels and the scenery of its banks; also views of the Metropolis from the surrounding heights, the operations of husbandry, ploughing being a favourite subject. He painted the mountain scenery of Wales and Scotland, and the grand gloom of their passes, with great effect; and in 1829 extended his range of subjects to the Continent, choosing his subjects on the coasts and in the market- places of Antwerp, Brussels, and the crowded bridges of Pans, which ne peopled with clever groups. At this time he returned to the Metropolis, and taking a house at
Kensington, resided there till 1840, when he retired to Harborne, a village near his native town; and tired of teaching and exhibitions, devoted himself almost entirely to painting in oil. He died June 7, 1859.
He will always take very high rank as a water-colour painter. His manner was peculiar to himself. His fluent brush and liquid tints gave great richness. He was intent upon obtaining the exact tone and colour of nature rather than in defining form, and his drawing is loose. His light and shade are good, his keeping excellent, and his figures and cattle admirably placed. He produced a highly artistic generalised treatment of nature, with great breadth, luminous freshness, and breezy motion. Many of his works are highly imag- inative, and impressed with the truest sentiment. His sparkle of our English summer in shower and sunshine has never been surpassed. His latter works in oil were little seen in London. He published, in 1816, ' A Treatise on Painting m Water- Colours,' and had prepared 100 drawings in sepia for publication, but the work was not proceeded with.
COZENS, Alexander, water -colour painter. He was a natural son of Peter the Great, by an Englishwoman from Dept- ford, who accompanied the Czar on nis return to Russia, where he was born. He was sent by the Czar to Italy to study painting; and some studies he then made, and lost during his journey, are now pos- sessed by the British Museum. They are of much interest, drawn with the pen with great minuteness and care, excellent in taste and composition. From Italy he came to England in 1746, and settled here as a landscape painter, but was chiefly occupied in teaching. He was a member of the Incorporated Society of Artists, a contributor of landscape drawings to the Spring Gardens Exhibitions; from 1763 to 1768, he held the office of drawing-master at Eton School, and gave some lessons to the Prince of Wales. He practised some time at Bath, where his teaching was popu- lar. He affected a plan of splashing a china- Slate with colour, and then instructing is pupils to work the chance blot im- pressed: from it into a landscape composi- tion, and published a small tract explaining this method. He also published 'The Principles of Beauty, in relation to the Human Head/ with engraved illustrations by Bartolozzi, 1778; * The various Species of Composition in Nature/ and ' The Shape, Skeleton, and Foliage of Thirty-two Spe- cies of Trees/ 1771, reprinted 1786. He was a frequent exhibitor at the Royal Academy between 1772 and 1781; and Banks, 11. A., the sculptor, exhibited, in 1783, 4 Head of a majestic Beauty, com- posed on Mr. Cozens*s Principles/ He
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