'Narrating' the landscape: British creativity in landscape portrayal 1760-1800

Abstract

"At the turn of the nineteenth century, British landscape painting had evolved from the literal or idealised rendering of a view into the expression of a sensitive perception of a scene that would "tell its story". To achieve this evolution, certain late eighteenth-century landscape artists synthesized aesthetical, educational, and practical approaches. For many, a sojourn in Italy, where their practice was largely devoted to the exercise of plein-air sketching, became a laboratory to experiment with processes and deal with issues of materiality in a particularly innovative manner. This book investigates the roots of this renewal, explores technical and material innovations, and examines their diffusion through engraving and publishing."-- Provided by publisher.