The topic of art, when introduced into a conversation, is often met by a blank look. Many claim that it is all a bit beyond them, and that they can not see what the artist is trying to convey, no matter how hard they try. Any work from one of the famous landscape painters is a different matter, as people can identify with it.
The genre had very slow beginnings, and for a while was quite unpopular. The main patrons of the arts were the wealthy, and they preferred their paintings on a much grander scale. The ever popular genres either had a biblical, or mythological, theme running through them, or the individual had commissioned an artist to paint their portrait.
It was the European gentry who were largely responsible for the rise in popularity of the humble landscape. They would commission works that depicted their country estates, which they would display in their large town houses. In their original form these paintings did not have any people included, unless it was to emphasize scale. Or the landscaping was there purely as a background to either the person being painted, or buildings
Due to the newness of this genre, a lot of the results that are seen today came about through trial and error. Color had to be adapted, mixed and merged to depict shadow and light. It was worth the trouble, because as the results got better the available market grew.
Those early experimenters in the genre were normally either Flemish or Dutch. Coincidentally it is the Dutch word 'landschap', which gave rise to the word landscape. As people recognised what these paintings depicted, there was a greater demand, even from outside of the wealthy.
As a lot of these paintings were so much smaller than the previous religious masterpieces, they were available in greater numbers. Maybe that would account for why so many survive to this day. The genre might have started in mainland Europe, but it was the English painters of the early nineteenth century who really made this genre their own.
Another boost at that time was a new approach to the traditional materials. It allowed the artisan to leave his stuffy, fume filled studio and get out into the countryside. He could take his materials with him, and so paint wherever and whatever took his fancy.
The advent of photography also played a part in the development in this genre. For most they followed the paths of realism, faithfully putting down on canvas whatever was displayed in front of them. Some took the introduction of cameras as the chance to experiment, and so some alternate styles of landscape painting began to occur.
Most people will be able to run off a number of popular names from within this field of art. Most likely they will include at least one of either, Gainsborough, Turner or Constable. The works of these artists are nearly always instantly recognized, even by those who claim to know nothing about the subject.
Thanks largely to these artists the hobby of painting was deemed suitable for young European ladies and gentlemen. When they migrated to the Americas they took this pastime with them. Which gave rise to some of America's most famous landscape painters.
The genre had very slow beginnings, and for a while was quite unpopular. The main patrons of the arts were the wealthy, and they preferred their paintings on a much grander scale. The ever popular genres either had a biblical, or mythological, theme running through them, or the individual had commissioned an artist to paint their portrait.
It was the European gentry who were largely responsible for the rise in popularity of the humble landscape. They would commission works that depicted their country estates, which they would display in their large town houses. In their original form these paintings did not have any people included, unless it was to emphasize scale. Or the landscaping was there purely as a background to either the person being painted, or buildings
Due to the newness of this genre, a lot of the results that are seen today came about through trial and error. Color had to be adapted, mixed and merged to depict shadow and light. It was worth the trouble, because as the results got better the available market grew.
Those early experimenters in the genre were normally either Flemish or Dutch. Coincidentally it is the Dutch word 'landschap', which gave rise to the word landscape. As people recognised what these paintings depicted, there was a greater demand, even from outside of the wealthy.
As a lot of these paintings were so much smaller than the previous religious masterpieces, they were available in greater numbers. Maybe that would account for why so many survive to this day. The genre might have started in mainland Europe, but it was the English painters of the early nineteenth century who really made this genre their own.
Another boost at that time was a new approach to the traditional materials. It allowed the artisan to leave his stuffy, fume filled studio and get out into the countryside. He could take his materials with him, and so paint wherever and whatever took his fancy.
The advent of photography also played a part in the development in this genre. For most they followed the paths of realism, faithfully putting down on canvas whatever was displayed in front of them. Some took the introduction of cameras as the chance to experiment, and so some alternate styles of landscape painting began to occur.
Most people will be able to run off a number of popular names from within this field of art. Most likely they will include at least one of either, Gainsborough, Turner or Constable. The works of these artists are nearly always instantly recognized, even by those who claim to know nothing about the subject.
Thanks largely to these artists the hobby of painting was deemed suitable for young European ladies and gentlemen. When they migrated to the Americas they took this pastime with them. Which gave rise to some of America's most famous landscape painters.
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