Modern Landscapes
Landscapes, images of natural scenery, remained a popular subject in late-19th- and early-
20th-century art. Driven in part by their dissatisfaction with the modern city, many artists sought
out places resembling untouched earthly paradises. In these areas, away from the bustle of the
modern city, artists were able to focus on their work and observe nature firsthand. Because of this,
many radical artistic experiments occurred in the mostrural and least modern of settings. These
ranged from the use of unexpected, non-naturalistic colors, to unusual application of paint. The
artists presented here broke traditional boundaries of straightforward representational landscape,
exploring the psychological and spiritual places in landscapes.
Two innovations made it easier than ever to paint outside, directly from nature. The first was
improved transportation. Whether traveling by train or motorized vehicle, people could get farther
faster. The second innovation was paint in a tube. Before paint in a tube was invented, artists had
to mix and store their own paint; tubed paint was portable, stayed wet, and could be used in any
location.