In Western culture, the first glimpse of landscapes appear as early as the thirteenth century as backgrounds to scenes of the Virgin, Nativity or other religious subjects. In this theme, we examine the emergence and development of landscape art, the interpretation of the landscape by the artist’s eye. The art historian Otto Pacht (1902 – 88) wrote, The discovery of the aesthetic value of landscape was the final outcome of a complex ripening process in which every form of imagination was involved and which concerned the entire attitude of man towards his physical environment(Shepard, 1967). The Western concept of a view or a scene as a way of conceptualizing landscape was unknown to the Aborigines (Taylor, 1994). They are painted as a plan view from above and require interpretation. ![]() Paintings by Australian Aborigines are depictions of Dreamtime stories representing relationships between elements that symbolize features such as streams, billabongs, rocks, snakes and meeting places. In addition, the many inscriptions praising the work of architects and builders were in terms of the durability and strength of the work, never its beauty (Beardsley, 1966). The ancient Egyptians appeared disinterested in aesthetics – their fine sculptures and paintings were located in tombs and temples rather than being for general view. These paintings were motivated by something other than an aesthetic desire possibly they are totemic, religious, a charm to ward off spirits or represented possession of a locality. An analysis of 2188 figures in 66 caves in Europe painted 3,000 – 8,000 BC found they all depicted animals (Leroi-Gouram, 1982, Ruspoli, 1987). Certainly, landscape scenes were never included. Interest-ingly, no Palaeolithic cave paintings contain scenes of nature other than animals and some human forms not even the ground is depicted. The very concept of capturing in a small picture an image of the wider world is itself a staggering advance. ![]() Landscape in 19 th century art Click hereĪs an expressive medium, paintings and drawings often reflect the idealized essence of that form of the physical environment that is regarded as beautiful by the prevailing culture. Landscape in 18 th century art Click here Landscape in 17 th century art Click hereġ7 th century landscape tastes Click here Landscape in pre-17 th century art Click here
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