Freshman Seminar: The American Landscape in Painting and Practice

3 units

The art of landscape, including painting, gardening, and contemporary land art, has been particularly bound up with issues of national identity in the United States. For this reason, there has been a rich body of writing about the landscape that provides the source material for this course. By analyzing major examples by artists like Thomas Cole, Frederick Law Olmsted, and Nancy Holt and the works of landscape writers like Nathaniel Parker Willis, Susan Fenimore Cooper, and William Cronon, participants in this freshman seminar will learn to analyze not only texts and images but also the messages that the physical landscapes around us convey. Regular use of museum collections and the eloquent built landscapes of St. Louis will provide a chance to apply these skills beyond the classroom's walls. No prerequisites.