Possibly a reference to Alexander Cozens (1717?-1786). Born in Russia, son of a shipbuilder. Visited England as a child but returned to Russia. He visited Rome in 1746. Held the post of drawing master in landscape at Christ's Hospital from 1749 to 1754. Taught drawing at Eton. Exhibited at Royal Academy from 1772. Developed the idea of using blots as an inspiration for landscapes outlined in his Essay to Facilitate the Inventing of Landskips... (1759). However, Ruskin is probably refering to Alexander's son, John Robert Cozens (1752-1797) who was also an important landscape painter in watercolour. Born in London and pupil of his father. In 1776, accompanied Richard Payne Knight on a visit to Rome. He also made a Continental visit with William Beckford in 1782. Influenced Turner and Thomas Girtin, who copied his work at Dr Monro 's. John Constable was also interested and enthusiastic about Cozens' work. According to Martin Hardie: 'He was one of the first water-colour painters in our country to use the medium consistently for its own sake as a purely expressional means' ( Hardie, Water-Colour Painting in Britain, Vol. 1, p.131). Suffered from mental illness.