John Cousen (1804-80). Engraver. His first work with Turner was a plate published in 1834 for The Rivers of France. He completed another 4 plates for that work, and engraved a total of 14 plates after Turner during the artist's lifetime.
His engraving skills were much admired by Ruskin. His name appears in a list of engravers whom Ruskin considered 'first rate' ( Works, 2.xlii), and Ruskin engaged his services for the engraving of six plates for Modern Painters. One of these, after Turner 's Goldau, can be seen as representing the culmination of Ruskin's efforts in the 1850s to raise engraving to new heights (see Davis, 'Job's Iron Pen', p. 116).
Writing of his engravers (of whom Cousen was one) in the Preface to Modern Painters V (1860), Ruskin expressed his 'sincere thanks for the patience, and my sincere admiration of the skill, with which they have helped me' ( Works, 7.8). In the Preface to the 1873 edition of Modern Painters he expressed satisfaction that 'Mr. Armytage's, Mr. Cousens', and Mr. Cuff's magnificent plates are still in good state' ( Works, 3.54). The question of permanence was of considerable significance for Ruskin; see Davis, 'Job's Iron Pen'. (See also Ruskin, Turner, and engraving.)
See also Cousen's experiments on the fading of watercolours. For further biographical information, see Hunnisett, An Illustrated Dictionary of British Steel Engravers, pp. 25-26.