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This superb drawing by Cosway, is titled 'Pomona'and was part of the collection of her husband's work, taken to the retreat at Lodi, by Maria Cosway.
Literature: It is pictured in 'Richard and Maria Cosway, a biography.' by Gerald Barnett.
Dimensions: 6 1/2" x 7".
Price Guide: D
Item Reference: 144
Additional Information: RICHARD COSWAY R.A. 1742-1821
He was born in Devon, the son of a headmaster, and descended from a Flemish family who were prosperous in the wool trade. He loved art from an early age and was sent up to London to study under Thomas Hudson. He soon won prizes at the Society of arts and began to exhibit. He entered the R.A. schools in 1769 exhibited there becoming firs A.R.A. and then R.A. in 1771. He met and married his wife Maria in 1781. They had only one child who died tragically when she was 7. Cosway became a fashionable miniaturist and was patronised by the Prince of Wales. He was small, eccentric, foppish, and superstitious. He was an art collector in his own right. Early on he painted large pictures and drawings with light colouring but later he executed mainly miniatures on ivory. He was made miniature painter to the Prince of Wales but when the Prince became regent he dropped Cosway from his circle. After this time Cosway deteriorated and died in1821. His miniatures were painted with a fine delicacy and modelling, he had the ability to catch the character of his sitter with a minimum of strokes. He used transparent pigments which when floated on the ivory gave the translucent effect he sought. He also developed the use of sky backgrounds using antwerp blue.His modelling was done with short grey strokes which can be seen round the eyes and painted the hair in soft masses. Dots and parallel strokes form part of the background. He sometimes signed on the reverse of the pictures with a long flowery inscription. Drawings and miniatures by Cosway are rightly much prized.
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