What is Landscape Art?

A universal genre, landscape art transcends the boundaries of geography and provides a look at the world many would never have the opportunity to see on their own. Represented in the fine arts for centuries, either as a back drop to a subject of art or the subject itself, the beauty of global culture has been represented in every corner of the world.

Features

Landscape art portrays natural scenery mountains, valleys, forests, rivers and deserts. Although humans and animals may be represented, the main focus is the land around them.

Types

Non-traditional landscapes consist of oceanscapes, moonscapes and cityscapes. Aerial landscapes are representations of the land from the sky.

History

Interior Roman frescos from the ruins of Pompeii depict the land around the village. It wasn't until the early 1400s that landscape painting was declared a genre in Europe.

Significance

Before photography, tourists purchased landscape paintings as souvenirs of the places they traveled as a way to preserve memories.

Major Artists

Artists who are famous for their landscape art are Frederic Church (USA), Winslow Homer (USA), Georgia O'Keefe (USA), Paul Cezanne (France), Camille Pissarro (France), Claude Monet (France), JMW Turner (England) and John Constable (England) among others.

Schools

There were several schools, or art movements, of paintings that focused on painting land and cityscapes, such as the American Barbizon School and the Hudson River Valley School.

Resources

• Artcyclopedia