blank canvas vs unknown quantity

blank canvas

noun
  • Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see blank, canvas. 

  • Something with no content, upon which one can easily impose or project one's point of view. 

unknown quantity

noun
  • Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see unknown, quantity. 

  • A person or thing whose nature or value is a mystery. 

How often have the words blank canvas and unknown quantity occurred in a corpus of books? (source: Google Ngram Viewer )