The Artist’s Landscape

TLDR: Landscape paintings are imagined constructions reflecting philosophy, culture and social ideology of a period and thus, express the relationship humans had with the environment as discussed by the authors and illustrate the evolution in the craftsmanship of depicting the three-dimensional world on a two-dimensional plane not only for artistic but also for documentary reasons.

Abstract: The landscape is a source of inspiration in literature, visual arts and garden design and by extension of the creation of new landscapes. Visiting unknown landscapes brought new ‘incitements’ and new technologies brought new ways of seeing. Landscape art changed the concept of landscape. This is illustrated with the history of landscape painting and landscape architecture. While in China, landscape painting was from the ancient beginnings regarded as an important art form, landscape painting in Europe became only a genre on its own in the Renaissance with a popularity and style that varied from region to region. Landscape paintings are imagined constructions reflecting philosophy, culture and social ideology of a period and thus, express the relationship humans had with the environment. Landscape paintings illustrate also the evolution in the craftsmanship of depicting the three-dimensional world on a two-dimensional plane not only for artistic but also for documentary reasons. The development of all kinds of pictorials and perspectives laid a basis for mapping, design and planning as well. Landscape painting evolved simultaneously with garden design, which up-scaled in landscape architecture. Gardens and parks are creations of new landscapes expressing spiritual visions and ideology as well as craftsmanship characteristic for a time. Also, the evolution differs between the East and the West and a succession of styles reflects the cultural evolution of society. Case studies illustrate the development of different styles and models. Designed landscapes are nowadays recognised as a distinct category of heritage.