Landscape painting is one of the oldest yet most versatile genres in art history. In its early stages, it often served merely as a backdrop for religious and historical scenes. Over time, however, nature itself moved into the spotlight. Especially from the 17th century onward, landscapes developed into an independent genre during the Dutch Golden Age and simultaneously in Venetian painting. The Dutch were led by realists who focused on rural areas, while in Venice, artists like Canaletto made cityscapes famous.
From Romanticism to Impressionism
In the Romantic period and later in Impressionism, landscapes gained increasing artistic and cultural relevance. At the start of the 19th century, English landscape painting flourished under Thomas Girtin, John Constable, and William Turner. This momentum spread to France, inspiring new approaches to landscape art through plein air painting and the Barbizon School.
New Continents, New Perspectives
Meanwhile, American painters of the Hudson River School explored the untouched wilderness of the New World—capturing its grandeur and remote beauty. In time, movements like Luminism and the Rocky Mountain School also emerged in the U.S.
As you can see, landscape painting is incredibly diverse. To give you a clearer overview, we’re introducing ten of the greatest landscape painters in more detail—so you can better understand how this genre evolved over the centuries. Enjoy!
1. Jacob van Ruisdael (1628–1682)
This Dutch master was a pioneer of realistic landscape painting. He was among the first to depict nature not as a backdrop but as a meaningful subject in its own right. His dramatic skies, windswept trees, tranquil waters, and rugged terrain evoke a powerful emotional atmosphere.
Ruisdael often rejected idealized scenes in favor of raw, reverent portrayals of nature. Works like The Great Oak Forest and The Jewish Cemetery at Ouderkerk combine technical precision with existential depth, addressing themes like transience, solitude, and sublimity. His influence extended beyond the Netherlands, inspiring Constable, the Barbizon School, and German Romantics.
2. Thomas Girtin (1775–1802)
Though he died young at just 27, Thomas Girtin had a major impact on English landscape painting. He elevated watercolor from decorative craft to a serious artistic medium. His ruins, valleys, and foggy hills express profound emotion and atmosphere.
In an era of idealized classicism, Girtin brought realism and sincerity to landscape art. His influence extended to his friend and collaborator J.M.W. Turner, and his innovations paved the way for Romantic landscape painting.
3. John Constable (1776–1837)
A central figure in British art, Constable believed that beauty was not found in fantasy but in everyday nature. He painted meadows, rivers, and fields in his native Suffolk with deep affection. His masterpiece The Hay Wain (1821) captures rural life with authenticity and warmth.
Constable often painted outdoors, creating studies and sketches that defied classical norms. His dynamic brushwork and atmospheric techniques strongly influenced French artists of the Barbizon School.
4. William Turner (1775–1851)
Turner revolutionized landscape painting by focusing on emotion and elemental power. Unlike his peers, he captured storms, fires, and glowing sunsets with a proto-abstract style that blurred lines and dissolved forms into pure color and light.
His later works abandoned traditional structure in favor of expressive brushstrokes and radiant effects—foreshadowing Impressionism and redefining the emotional capacity of landscape art.
5. Caspar David Friedrich (1774–1840)
Friedrich was the leading Romantic painter in Germany, often called a "poet with a brush." Influenced by Protestant spirituality and Enlightenment philosophy, he explored the sublime in nature—placing tiny, contemplative human figures in vast landscapes.
In works like Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog and Abbey in the Oakwood, nature becomes a metaphor for human emotion and spiritual reflection. Though once seen as too gloomy, Friedrich was later embraced by Symbolists and modern thinkers as a key figure in art history.
6. Théodore Rousseau (1812–1867)
Rousseau turned away from grand, academic history painting to focus on humble forests and rural scenes. He settled in Barbizon, near the Fontainebleau forest, and helped found the Barbizon School—known for painting nature in its untouched state.
His quiet, contemplative works invite viewers to pause and connect with nature. Though overlooked for years, Rousseau eventually gained recognition, influencing both the Impressionists and Realists.
7. Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot (1796–1875)
Corot was a bridge between Classicism and Modernism. His soft contours, misty tones, and gentle compositions were admired by both the Barbizon School and the Impressionists.
Generous and supportive, Corot mentored younger artists like Berthe Morisot and Camille Pissarro. His late career was also marked by social advocacy—buying a home for the blind Honoré Daumier and helping the family of Jean-François Millet.
8. Thomas Cole (1801–1848)
Considered the father of American landscape painting, Cole founded the Hudson River School. In a young and expanding United States, he captured the grandeur of the American wilderness with both realism and spiritual reverence.
His works, such as The Course of Empire, combine allegory with sweeping views of untouched nature. For Cole, landscapes told stories about civilization, decay, and renewal—shaping a new American artistic identity.
9. Albert Bierstadt (1830–1902)
A master of the American West, Bierstadt painted vast, dramatic landscapes during expeditions across the Rockies. His large-scale canvases depicted mountains, waterfalls, and glowing skies with theatrical flair.
Using radiant light effects, he portrayed nature as a divine spectacle—helping to solidify the American West as a symbol of national identity. Bierstadt’s works were later rediscovered by the environmental movement of the 1960s.
10. Edward Theodore Compton (1849–1921)
An English painter who made his home in Germany, Compton combined mountaineering with art. He climbed over 300 peaks, sketchbook in hand, and became a chronicler of the Alps.
Bridging Romantic idealism with early 20th-century realism, Compton captured the raw beauty of high-altitude landscapes with scientific precision and emotional depth. His clear lines and realistic details earned him respect among both art lovers and nature enthusiasts.
Landscape Art for Your Home
As you can see, landscape painting has constantly evolved—shaped by the times, by artists’ visions, and by how humanity connects with nature. From romantic to realistic, contemplative to dramatic, these ten artists show how varied and meaningful landscapes can be through the eyes of great painters.
You can find prints from all of these masters in our poster shop. If you're looking to bring the beauty of landscape art into your home, browse our collection—you’re sure to find something that fits your taste. We can’t wait to see which piece becomes your new favorite!
