Artwork

Sketch Copy of Natural Disasters, from the Seven Fortunes and Misfortunes

Sketch Copy of Natural Disasters, from the Seven Fortunes and Misfortunes is an unspecified painting by Unknown. It dates from 1773 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

About this work

Overview

The work titled *Sketch Copy of Natural Disasters, from the Seven Fortunes and Misfortunes* is a narrow, elongated painting. Its surface is dominated by a light-toned ground on which a series of dark, abstract forms are distributed. The composition lacks recognizable figures, instead presenting a rhythmic arrangement of shapes that vary in size and placement across the panel.

Subject & Meaning

The title suggests that the dark silhouettes are intended to evoke natural calamities such as storms, floods, or other catastrophic events.

The title suggests that the dark silhouettes are intended to evoke natural calamities such as storms, floods, or other catastrophic events. By abstracting these phenomena, the artist invites viewers to contemplate the forces of nature without relying on literal depiction, aligning the visual language with the concept of misfortune within the broader thematic series of seven fortunes and misfortunes.

Technique & Style

Executed with a limited palette, the piece relies on contrast between the pale background and the dense, ink‑like strokes of the darker shapes. The handling is gestural, allowing the forms to appear both spontaneous and suggestive of movement, a quality often associated with sketch‑type works that prioritize immediacy over detailed rendering.

History & Provenance

The creator of the painting remains unidentified, and no specific documentation of its origin or ownership has been recorded. Consequently, the work is catalogued under an unknown artist, with its provenance traced only through its inclusion in collections that reference the *Seven Fortunes and Misfortunes* series.