Landscape and Western Art (Oxford History of Art)

Great!

Having slogged my way through the out-dated patrician sentiments about Landscape Art of Lord Clark of Civilisation, this was a refreshing change - he doesnt shy away from the real content of the pictures, the upper classes' self-indulgences for instance, and writes in langugae which is only occassionally obscure - but Derrida is hard to explain at the best of times. I recommend this clear-sighted overview of the subject.

This is an indepth analysis of the changing attitudes to landscape art, from the middle ages to modern times. Of particular interest is how our perception of both landscape and landscape bawd art today is conditioned by the past.

It was for a gift

Thought provoking and readable discussion on the origins of the western tradition of landscape art and its evolution into a pure art and its refocus in the late 20th century into land art. As a landscape painter and fine art tutor it is always good to get well researched argument and new ideas as well as accurate historical information about what motivated and informed artists in the past.