The term “landscape” actually derives from the Dutch word landschap, which originally meant “region, tract of land” but acquired the artistic connotation, “a picture depicting scenery on land” in the early 1500s. It is a wide view of a natural aesthetic like mountains, trees, or fields, which can all be classed as landscapes. It can also refer to artwork or photos showing this kind of view, or to the horizontal layout of a page or screen.

In the 17th century the classical landscape was born. These landscapes were influenced by classical antiquity, and wanted to illustrate an ideal landscape recalling Arcadia, a legendary place in ancient Greece known for its quiet pastoral beauty. Landscape became a separate art genre in Western culture during the 17th century. While landscapes appeared earlier in Renaissance art as backgrounds, it wasn’t until the 1600s that artists began painting nature as the main subject and the main focus of many art pieces.

The rise of landscape art during the 18th and 19th centuries was influenced by societal and cultural shifts. The idea of romanticism was a key part, as artists began to focus on emotion, individual experience, and nature, to portray their thoughts into their artwork. Many art projects would either be very dramatised and over the top or peaceful and natural. At the same time, the Industrial Revolution led to individuals desiring nature again, as society was focused on manufactures and factories, which led to artists painting nature in landscapes.

• When did landscape photography originate?