Landscape and Western Art

Whatislandscape?Howdoesitdifferfrom'land'?Doeslandscapealwaysimplysomethingtobepictured,ascene?Whenandwhydidwebegintocherishimagesofnature?Whatis'nature'?Isiteverythingthatisn'tart,orartefact?ThisbookexploresmanyfascinatingissuesraisedbythegreatrangeofideasandimagesofthenaturalworldinWesternartsincetheRenaissance.Usingathematicstructuremanyissuesareexamined,forinstance:landscapeasaculturalconstruct;therelationshipbetweenlandscapeasaccessoryorbackdropandlandscapeasthechiefsubject;landscapeasconstitutedbyvariouspracticesofframing;thesublimeandideasofindeterminacy;landscapeartaspicturesqueorasexplorationoflivingprocesses.TheseissuesareraisedandexploredinconnectionwithWesternculturalmovements,andwithinafullinternationalandhistoricalcontext.Manyformsoflandscapeartareincluded:painting,gardening,panorama,poetry,photography,andart.Thebookisdesignedtobothtakestockofrecentinterdisciplinarydebatesandactasastimulustorethinkingourassumptionsaboutlandscape.