Landscape painting Landscape

salomon van ruisdael, view of deventer (1657).

the earliest forms of art around world depict little called landscape, although ground-lines , indications of mountains, trees or other natural features included. earliest pure landscapes no human figures frescos minoan greece of around 1500 bce. hunting scenes, set in enclosed vista of reed beds of nile delta ancient egypt, can give strong sense of place, emphasis on individual plant forms , human , animal figures rather overall landscape setting. coherent depiction of whole landscape, rough system of perspective, or scaling distance, needed, , seems literary evidence have first been developed in ancient greece in hellenistic period, although no large-scale examples survive. more ancient roman landscapes survive, 1st century bce onwards, frescos of landscapes decorating rooms have been preserved @ archaeological sites of pompeii, herculaneum , elsewhere, , mosaics.

the chinese ink painting tradition of shan shui ( mountain-water ), or pure landscape, in sign of human life sage, or glimpse of hut, uses sophisticated landscape backgrounds figure subjects, , landscape art of period retains classic , much-imitated status within chinese tradition.

both roman , chinese traditions typically show grand panoramas of imaginary landscapes, backed range of spectacular mountains – in china waterfalls , in rome including sea, lakes or rivers. these used bridge gap between foreground scene figures , distant panoramic vista, persistent problem landscape artists.

a major contrast between landscape painting in west , east asia has been while in west until 19th century occupied low position in accepted hierarchy of genres, in east asia classic chinese mountain-water ink painting traditionally prestigious form of visual art. however, in west, history painting came require extensive landscape background appropriate, theory did not entirely work against development of landscape painting – several centuries landscapes regularly promoted status of history painting addition of small figures make narrative scene, typically religious or mythological.

dutch golden age painting of 17th century saw dramatic growth of landscape painting, in many artists specialized, , development of extremely subtle realist techniques depicting light , weather. popularity of landscapes in netherlands in part reflection of virtual disappearance of religious painting in calvinist society, , decline of religious painting in 18th , 19th centuries on europe combined romanticism give landscapes greater , more prestigious place in 19th-century art had assumed before.

in england, landscapes had been backgrounds portraits, typically suggesting parks or estates of landowner, though painted in london artist had never visited site. english tradition founded anthony van dyck , other, flemish, artists working in england. beginning of 19th century english artists highest modern reputations dedicated landscapists, showing wide range of romantic interpretations of english landscape found in works of john constable, j.m.w. turner , samuel palmer. these had difficulty establishing in contemporary art market, still preferred history paintings , portraits.

thomas cole course of empire arcadian or pastoral state , us, 1836.

in europe, john ruskin said, , sir kenneth clark confirmed, landscape painting chief artistic creation of nineteenth century , , dominant art , result in following period people apt assume appreciation of natural beauty , painting of landscape normal , enduring part of our spiritual activity

the romantic movement intensified existing interest in landscape art, , remote , wild landscapes, had been 1 recurring element in earlier landscape art, became more prominent. german caspar david friedrich had distinctive style, influenced danish training. added quasi-mystical romanticism. french painters slower develop landscape painting, 1830s jean-baptiste-camille corot , other painters in barbizon school established french landscape tradition become influential in europe century, impressionists , post-impressionists first time making landscape painting main source of general stylistic innovation across types of painting.

in united states, hudson river school, prominent in middle late 19th century, best-known native development in landscape art. these painters created works of mammoth scale attempted capture epic scope of landscapes inspired them. work of thomas cole, school s acknowledged founder, has in common philosophical ideals of european landscape paintings — kind of secular faith in spiritual benefits gained contemplation of natural beauty. of later hudson river school artists, such albert bierstadt, created less comforting works placed greater emphasis (with great deal of romantic exaggeration) on raw, terrifying power of nature. best examples of canadian landscape art can found in works of group of seven, prominent in 1920s. emily carr closely associated group of seven, though never official member. although less dominant in period after world war i, many significant artists still painted landscapes in wide variety of styles exemplified neil welliver, alex katz, milton avery, peter doig, andrew wyeth, david hockney , sidney nolan.

the term neo-romanticism applied in british art history, loosely affiliated school of landscape painting emerged around 1930 , continued until 1950s. these painters looked 19th-century artists such william blake , samuel palmer, influenced french cubist , post-cubist artists such pablo picasso, andré masson, , pavel tchelitchew (clark , clarke 2001; hopkins 2001). movement motivated in part response threat of invasion during world war ii. artists particularly associated initiation of movement included paul nash, john piper, henry moore, ivon hitchens, , graham sutherland. younger generation included john minton, michael ayrton, john craxton, keith vaughan, robert colquhoun, , robert macbryde (button 1996).