Artwork
"Towered cities please us then..."
"Towered cities please us then..." is a drawing by John Sell Cotman. It is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. The drawing 'Towered cities please us then.
About this work
Overview
The drawing 'Towered cities please us then...' is a work by John Sell Cotman, created between approximately 1803 and 1820. It is one of 244 drawings produced by the Sketching Society, illustrating literary and biblical subjects.
Subject & Meaning
The drawing depicts a desert landscape with a pyramid-like structure, accompanied by a lone tree and a small columned building in the foreground. The scene is rendered in a hazy, dreamlike atmosphere.
Technique & Style
Cotman employed rapid, expressive lines to convey texture and shading, resulting in a rough, unpolished effect. The use of sketchy lines and hatching techniques creates a sense of spontaneity and immediacy.
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Artist & collection
Artist
John Sell Cotman (16 May 1782 – 24 July 1842) was an English marine and landscape painter, etcher, illustrator, and a leading member of the Norwich School of painters.
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