Landscape painting is one of the well-established painting genres, with many bright representatives from various historical periods and artistic schools. However, the 17th-century landscape painting stands apart as a unique period in the genre evolution. Read on to learn about the main innovations of that epoch.

Features of the 17th-Century Landscape Painting Tradition

The 17th century marked many changes and innovations in the landscape painting genre. Here are the main new features worth noting.

Realism and Naturalism

Landscape painters became increasingly interested in a more realistic, naturalistic depiction of local surroundings in their artworks. This change was a major departure from the idealistic landscape painting tradition dominant for the Renaissance period.

Growing Mastery of Chiaroscuro

The realist shift in landscape painting was also associated with a more nuanced use of chiaroscuro in this genre of visual art. Talented artists drawing inspiration from Caravaggio’s works and the broader Baroque influences implemented dramatic play of light and shadow into their landscapes to give them more depth and naturalism.

Classical Themes and Idealization

Along with the departure from idealized Renaissance themes and color palettes, some landscapes still featured well-known images, such as ancient ruins or mythological creatures. Followers of the classical landscape, inspired by artists like Claude Lorrain, continued relying on pastoral scenes and depicted balanced, harmonious compositions.

Influences of the Dutch Golden Age

The 17th century gave the world a rich artistic legacy of Dutch landscape painters, with the Dutch Golden Age becoming a distinct style and tradition with its recognizable features. These landscapes often featured windmills, rural scenes, and rivers; Dutch painters were fascinated by capturing the changing weather conditions and allocated a large portion of canvas space to the nuanced depiction of the sky and clouds. Some bright representatives of the Dutch painting school are Aelbert Cuyp, Jacob van Ruisdael, and Jan van Goyen, among others.

Regional Differences

Along with the wild, untamed nature motifs in the Dutch landscape painting school, there was a distinguishable Southern European style, still heavily dominated by the Renaissance. It was referred to as the ‘Italianate’ landscape painting style, with warm and golden colors comminating the palette and the picturesque depictions of the Italian countryside.

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