Historically landscape painting once ranked quite low on the list of important genres. Indeed painting/sculpture wasn't even considered as 'art' until about 1400.
In Europe it wasn't generally taken seriously in relation to most other genres until the 18th century when 'view' paintings became more fashionable, exemplified by the 'Grand Tour' in Italy, reflecting the climate of prosperity. However, it was an 'ordered' form of landscape compared to what was to follow later. Gainsborough and others would make preparatory sketches on the spot before completing their paintings in the studio. In the late 18th century Jean Baptist-Camille Corot was one artist who benefited from this new found popularity, also partly brought about by the popularity of a book in France by Pierre-Henri de Vallenciennes - 'Elements de perspective practique' which stressed the importance of the study of real nature.
Landscape painting in the 19th century experienced unprecedented changes and enjoyed a major rise in popularity. This was brought about by economic and social changes connected with events such as the Industrial Revolution in Britain and the Revolution in France. Idealized classical scenes became less and less important .
Watercolour as a medium became more prominent along with a trend towards feeling in landscape rather than exact representation. John Robert Cozens sought to emphasize the amazing vastness and atmospheric effects of the landscape. Both Alexander Cozens and his son John Robert were leading proponents in this regard. . Alexander Cozens was famous for developing the 'ink blot' technique based on a product of accident as opposed to design and which was quite cutting-edge for the time. Excellent examples and more information shown here:http://www.tate.org.uk/context-comment/blogs/watercolour-alexander-cozens-aka-blot-man
Other artists who dominated watercolour landscape painting at the time were: John Constable, J.M.W. Turner, John Sell Cotman and Thomas Girtin. Cotman's work was exacting, yet the way he painted shapes and forms was bordering on the abstract.
Turner had a fascination with the elements and his watercolours were also often quite abstract.
Norham Castle, Northumberland: Sunrise. As with many of Turner's paintings there is at least one watercolour version and a painting in oils. It is bathed in a warm golden glow and an atmospheric haze, there is an impression of vast space and minimal detail. In the foreground there are soft warm yet clear contrasts. The tones are warm yellows and subtle pinks and there is a grazing animal in warm orange yellow. Warm yellow tones to each side and in the reflections on the central area of still water bring the area forward. Moving back, the middleground contains some cooler blues. The horizon is very blurred and colours merge even more. Golden reflection on the water from the sun is quite noticeable and contrasts with the blue of the castle, while it is also very subtle. The background is bluer still and so indistinct as to give only a slight suggestion of a high object (the castle?) and distant hills, giving the illusion of great distance.
http://evermore.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/artists/images/turner/turner_norham_castle_sunrise.html
Constable like to capture the weather at certain times of day, then used them as references for his watercolour paintings. There's a good range of his work, including many cloud studies, on this link:
Turner had a fascination with the elements and his watercolours were also often quite abstract.
Norham Castle, Northumberland: Sunrise. As with many of Turner's paintings there is at least one watercolour version and a painting in oils. It is bathed in a warm golden glow and an atmospheric haze, there is an impression of vast space and minimal detail. In the foreground there are soft warm yet clear contrasts. The tones are warm yellows and subtle pinks and there is a grazing animal in warm orange yellow. Warm yellow tones to each side and in the reflections on the central area of still water bring the area forward. Moving back, the middleground contains some cooler blues. The horizon is very blurred and colours merge even more. Golden reflection on the water from the sun is quite noticeable and contrasts with the blue of the castle, while it is also very subtle. The background is bluer still and so indistinct as to give only a slight suggestion of a high object (the castle?) and distant hills, giving the illusion of great distance.
http://evermore.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/artists/images/turner/turner_norham_castle_sunrise.html
Constable like to capture the weather at certain times of day, then used them as references for his watercolour paintings. There's a good range of his work, including many cloud studies, on this link:
By this time artists increasingly sketched out of doors and the immediacy and portability of this medium was ideal for the purpose of capturing fleeting moments. Their watercolours became more experimental, often painting with bold sweeping strokes on rough textured papers. Skies and atmosphere played a prominent part in most of these artist's compositions.
Some of the ways in which modern and contemporary artists have chosen to interpret this genre are through reflecting social, political and environmental concerns for example:
Sophie Iremonger is one such artist who uses post apocalyptic vision of animals taking over urban landscapes:
http://www.artfetch.com/edition/168/order-in-chaos/
Of her work she is quoted as saying on http://fagcity.blogspot.ie/2012_08_01_archive.html
"Glamour, the erotic and nostalgia: those are the building blocks of my practice," says painter Sophie Iremonger, who moved to Berlin after finishing art school in her native Dublin in 2008. "I'm not an old master painter," she asserts. "I'm a woman. And I'm here now." Well that's a revelation!
Bernard Pras
Pras uses found discarded objects in his work to recreated classic paintings such as Hokusai's famous woodcut 'The Great Wave'
and Van Gogh's 'Starry Night'. His technique follows the historic system of anamorphosis.
A clear description of the term can found on here:
To quote wikipedia: Anamorphosis is a distorted projection or perspective requiring the viewer to use special devices or occupy a specific - . vantage point to reconstitute the image. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anamorphosis
When viewed from afar they appear like authentic paintings, but on closer inspection, instead of paint or paper collage, we see old drinks cans, barbie dolls, toilet rolls, coloured wires and old plastic bags to name but a few. He takes a photo of the finished work and uses these for display purposes. These huge striking constructions give new purpose to things meant for the landfill.
http://www.mnn.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/photos/14-artists-with-a-green-message/bernard-pras
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