A critic accused Whistler of “flinging paint at the public” when he saw this painting, so Whistler sued him. Whistler, Nocturne in Black and Gold: The ... by Meg Floryan
Like a disaster movie, Turner’s painting transforms a natural catastrophe — with death a near-certainty — into entertainment. J.M.W. Turner, Snow Storm by Matthew Wilson
In the distance, lightning strikes. What does it mean? Poetic and evocative, this painting invites interpretation. Giorgione, The Tempest by Dr. James R. Jewitt
A princess falls under a spell and sleeps for a hundred years — but Burne-Jones never shows us the kiss that awakens her. Sleeping Beauty — but without the Kiss: ... by Dr. Steven Zucker and Dr. Beth Harris
Landscape painting was considered lowly subject, but Constable gives them the six-foot treatment. John Constable, The Hay Wain by Dr. Steven Zucker and Dr. Beth Harris
The Colombian Chorographic Commission mapped the country while also documenting the landscape and its people. Carmelo Fernández, The Strait of Furatena in ... by Dr. Verónica Uribe Hanabergh
From mountain-shaped incense burners to paradisiacal Buddhist paintings, landscapes are central to Chinese art. Chinese landscape painting by The British Museum
The subject is conventional, but Liang Kai’s airy composition makes this painting unusual. What’s behind the mist? Liang Kai, Poet Strolling by a Marshy ... by The Metropolitan Museum of Art
The artist eliminated a key element of this innovative painting five years after he finished it. Winslow Homer, Northeaster by The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Combining metallic curls with mottled color, Kôrin’s screens capture the pulsing vitality of early spring. Ogata Kōrin, Red and White Plum Blossoms by Dr. Hannah Sigur
Beautifully rendered details of the Dieppe harbor are second only to Turner’s true love—the sublime sun. J. M. W. Turner, The Harbor of ... by Ben Pollitt
Refusing to idealize, Constable fills his landscapes with the specificity of a fleeting summer day. John Constable, View on the Stour near ... by Dr. Beth Harris and Dr. Steven Zucker
A beautiful sunset, but look closer. One of humanity’s most hideous acts—seen in the waves of the indifferent sea. J. M. W. Turner, Slave Ship by Lori Landay and Dr. Beth Harris
Dalí wages war on the rational in this naturalistic landscape populated by strange objects. Salvador Dalí, The Persistence of Memory by Sal Khan and Dr. Steven Zucker
Time collapses in this ambitious painting. As the Greeks battle the Persians, the West fends off the Ottoman East. Albrecht Altdorfer, The Battle of Issus by Dr. Steven Zucker and Dr. Beth Harris
Poussin’s ideal landscapes inspired generations of followers. Here, our eye finds a place to rest amidst the ruins. Nicolas Poussin, Landscape with Saint John on ... by Dr. Steven Zucker and Dr. Beth Harris
“Luminism” sounds like a subject at Hogwarts, but it actually describes landscape paintings like this one. Fitz Henry Lane, Owl’s Head, Penobscot Bay, Maine by Dr. Steven Zucker and Dr. Beth Harris
Monet’s painting technique is perfectly suited for depicting this windy seaside day on the English Channel. Claude Monet, Cliff Walk at Pourville by Dr. Steven Zucker and Dr. Beth Harris
Adam and Eve have just been evicted from Paradise, and the grass was definitely greener on the other side. Thomas Cole, Expulsion from the Garden of Eden by Dr. Steven Zucker and Dr. Beth Harris
Cezanne gets freaky with the conventions of landscape painting in this fuzzy image of a hot day. Paul Cézanne, The Red Rock by Dr. Steven Zucker and Dr. Beth Harris