– History of Cityscapes in Art:
– Fresco at the Baths of Trajan in Rome from the 1st century A.D.
– Cityscapes as backgrounds in Middle Ages portraits and biblical themes
– Copperplate prints and etchings from the 16th to 18th centuries for map-like overviews
– Ancient Chinese scroll paintings like “Along the River During the Qingming Festival”
– Independent genre of cityscape painting in the Netherlands in the 17th century
– Evolution of Cityscape Art:
– Impressionists focusing on atmosphere and dynamics in the late 19th century
– Suburban, industrial areas, and railway yards as new subjects in the 20th century
– Shift towards abstract and conceptual art in the 20th century
– Revival of figurative art at the end of the 20th century
– Notable contemporary cityscape painters like Rackstraw Downes and Antonio López García
– Cityscape vs. Townscape:
– Cityscape representing urban areas, while townscape implies smaller size and density
– Both terms referring to built forms and interstitial space in urban design
– Cityscape being the urban equivalent of a landscape in visual arts
– Townscape often used to describe older or smaller urban areas
– Differentiation in modernity and urban scale between cityscape and townscape
– Impact of Various Artists:
– Jan Vermeer’s accurate portrayal of Delft in the 17th century
– Venice flourishing in cityscape painting in the 18th century
– American painter Edward Hopper’s focus on the American scene
– Revival of cityscape appreciation with the revaluation of figurative art
– Contemporary artists like Yvonne Jacquette specializing in aerial cityscapes
– External Resources:
– Media related to Cityscapes in art at Wikimedia Commons
– Cityscape resources on ArtHistory.net
– Explore cityscape paintings and artists for further study
– Access additional information on the history and evolution of cityscapes
– Discover the significance of cityscapes in the visual arts landscape
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In the visual arts, a cityscape (urban landscape) is an artistic representation, such as a painting, drawing, print or photograph, of the physical aspects of a city or urban area. It is the urban equivalent of a landscape. Townscape is roughly synonymous with cityscape, though it implies the same difference in urban size and density (and even modernity) implicit in the difference between the words city and town. In urban design the terms refer to the configuration of built forms and interstitial space.
