“An Extensive Landscape Near Paris”

Which painting made the strongest impression on you and how did it amplify your understanding of any of the literary themes that we have been exploring.

Amongst our exploration into art pieces created in the Romantic Period, we came across a painting by Hubert Robert titled “An extensive Landscape Near Paris”. This piece by far had the strongest impression on me as it solidified my understanding of literary themes associated with this time.

Immediately looking at the painting a sense of peace and tranquillity is evoked as you are catapulted into the sublimity of nature. This is achieved through the vast green and yellow landscape accompanied by an ascending hillside that sits directly in front of viewers eyes. In the right frame of the painting, a tree stands twisting and distorting upon the hillside, appearing superior to the small people. Moreover, the mix of purple, white and grey hues in the sky create an almost dreamlike atmosphere. When all of these elements are viewed as a whole the great beauty that is contained within nature is elucidated. This therefore directly amplifies my understanding of literary themes associated with the Romantic Period as one of the key aspects for this time was the appreciation and sublimity of nature as opposed to materialistic ideologies that were favoured in the enlightenment period. In addition to contrasting these materialistic ideologies, the inclusion of the women dressed in what can be assumed as lower class clothing moving upwards through the hillside metaphorically implies the progression of those in lower class positions and the beauty found within the ordinary.

 Furthermore, this theme of the appreciation of nature is further highlighted through the painter’s intentional incorporation of the people on the hill painting the beauty that lays ahead of them. This directly relates to literary themes that we have been exploring as it highlights the way in which Romantic idealists valued what they can gain from nature as opposed to intellectuality gained in books.

Thus, from this painting I have gained a profound understanding to the themes associated with the Romantic Period which include; one’s appreciation of the beauty of nature, the progression of the lower class and the way in which nature can unlock wisdom in a way that intellectual knowledge simply cannot.

Image retrieved from: https://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/collection/works/177.1995/