Paysage. Fenêtre sur la nature – Lens (France)
Landscape. A window on nature
What is a landscape? Such is the question asked by Louvre-Lens over this exhibition, and approached from an artistic angle. From the Renaissance to the present day, via their paintings, artists have relived, in their own manner, the myths of creation, through their depictions of the sky, the earth, the sea, light and darkness. From the instantaneous shimmer of the Impressionists, the ephemeral haze of Chinese mountain and water paintings (Shan shui), the thousand and one views depicted on Japanese prints, all of these works whisper messages composed of light and shade. The origin of this coded language stems from what, in the 17th century, were referred to as the ‘adornments of nature’: trees, plants, rocks and streams.
In order to decipher this language, this exhibition takes a delve into the sources of artistic representation and follows the artist through the phases of creation, from preparatory sketch to finished work. It also explores the different types of landscapes and natural viewpoints, from small drawings to huge panoramas, from peaceful pastures to threatening volcanoes, from fleeting instants to visions of eternity, from figuration to abstraction.