What is a landscape painting? In this video, we examine José María Velasco's Valley of Mexico to gain a deeper understanding of landscape painting traditions.

José María Velasco is one of Mexico’s most celebrated 19th-century artists. His sweeping views of the Valley of Mexico are beautiful and deeply tied to Mexican identity, national pride, and Aztec (Mexica) symbolism. Learn how Velasco blended art, science, and history, and why landscape paintings like his matter far beyond their aesthetic appeal. We also examine a wide variety of other landscape paintings, such as Vincent van Gogh’s Starry Night, a folding screen by Ogata Kōrin, and Albert Bierstadt’s Rocky Mountains, Lander’s Peak.

This video is perfect for anyone looking to learn more about:

• Landscape Painting

• Genres in Art

• Language to describe art

• Art History

• Mexican Art

• World Art History

Speaker: Dr. Lauren Kilroy-Ewbank

CHAPTERS

0:00 What is landscape painting?

0:54 Landscape paintings by Ogata Kōrin, Albert Bierstadt, and Vincent van Gogh

1:44 Velasco’s Valley of Mexico

2:39 Deeper meanings in Velasco’s landscape paintings

Learn more

Check out our entire glossary of art history: https://www.artsq.org/about-key-terms-ideas-art-history