Famous Landscape Paintings: A Journey From Reality To Serenity.

Don’t you just love staring into the starry night sky or looking over the hills to endless grasslands?

These famous landscape paintings are serene, mesmerizing, and silent. Gazing at them is like staring at an endless abyss.

With every look, you find a new detail, and with a new emotion, you keep coming back for more.

And capturing those emotions is the essence of this genre.

Landscape paintings are more than just beautiful scenery; they capture the ever-changing elements of nature on a still canvas.

And every brush stroke on that canvas tells its own story.

These famous landscape paintings include elements that are inspired by real and imaginary settings.

Explore some of the world’s most beautiful scenery that has been etched in history by artists across the world and eras.

1. View of Toledo by El Greco(1600).

The main goal of the artist was to portray the greatness of the city in which he grew up.

The large rolling hills and the dark cloudy skies give the city an evil feel.

This view of Toledo received great praise, making it one of the most famous landscape paintings in Spain.

El Greco painted another view of the city, but that didn’t achieve the same success. 

which makes it the most popular painting painted by the Greek artist.

This now resides at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

2. Spring, or The Earthly Paradise, by Nicolas Poussin (1664).

This painting is a part of the 4 oil canvas series painted by Poussin.

Each painting is of a different season and of a different time of the day. 

“Spring” features Adam and Eve sitting underneath the famous apple tree from the Bible.

While painting them, he was suffering from a hand tremor disease, which eventually led to his demise.

All four paintings now have their own rooms and are among the most famous paintings in the Louvre.

3. The Dream, by Henri Rousseau (1910).

The last of Henri’s oil paintings, The Dream, is the largest jungle painting canvassed by him. 

The woman (on the left), who is the main subject of this painting, was his mistress in his youth.

The landscape is otherwise strewn with personality, like the tigers and snakes, and the mysterious flute player, who is almost hidden due to the colors.

Henri cleverly used this dark background to bring out most of the flowers and lotus beautifully.

“The Dream” is now at the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

4. The Starry Night by Vincent Van Gogh(1889).

The Starry Night is one of the most famous landscape paintings in the world.

A dream-like landscape from France, Vincent painted the piece from memory in his mental asylum.

The artist would memorize the scene at night and would paint it during the day.

The atmosphere painted has a very hazy feel to it to make the viewer feel engrossed.

In the sky, we can see the moon on the right and Venus in the right center of the canvas.

After changing ownership a few times, it is now at the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

5. Hill With Lighthouse by Edward Hopper(1927).

The two focal points in this painting are the cottage and lighthouse, which shadow most of the bottom half of the painting.

Because of these shadows, many artists interpret the painting as being dark and ominous.

Also, the famous painter has put the viewer in a low line of sight, creating a towering look for the lighthouse.

The same lighthouse was used as a subject for Hopper’s paintings twice in two different paintings.

This painting is now a part of the Dallas Museum of Art.

6. The Hay Wain, by John Constable(1821).

This is one of the most magnificent and peaceful-looking famous landscape paintings ever painted.

The name “The Hay Wain,” refers to the wagon carrying the wheat, which is the main subject of this landscape painting. 

The surreal beauty of this landscape artwork is the wagon making its way through the stream.

The background of this painting shows the farmlands of Suffolk and the people working there.

 This portrait was originally called ‘Landscape: Noon’,

But later, John changed the name of the painting because of its brilliance in his series of famous landscape paintings called ‘six-footers’.

This oil painting creates an immersive experience for the viewer, which entices them to just keep on looking!

7. Wanderer Above The Sea Of Fog by Casper David Friedrich (1818).

The mentioned oil on canvas painting is one of the masterpieces of romanticism painted by the artist.

The painting shows a man standing atop a rocky mountain gazing upon the foggy clouds with a walking stick held tightly in his right hand. 

This landscape artwork is the most famous example of Rückenfigur (the subject’s back facing the viewer).

The artist released this landscape painting during the French Revolution, sparking various controversial remarks.

Regardless, the painting is also considered a pillar of self-reflection or the contemplation of the path of life.

The ‘Wanderer’ does help the viewer focus on the subject of the landscape rather than the landscape itself, which can be discovered later.

8. Christina’s World by Andrew Wyeth (1948).

 

This artwork portrayed the struggles of life experienced by the subject of the painting, Anna Christina Olson.

Anna had been suffering from a muscle disorder preventing her from walking since the age of 30.

As Anna is shown crawling across the field, the artist succeeds in creating a gloomy environment with the use of gray skies. 

Wyeth made her pink dress pop out as if it was a flower in between a dry land.

The distance between Anna and the cottage shows the difficulties she has to go through because of her condition.

Wyeth’s masterpiece is now at the Museum of Modern Art, in New York.

 9. View of Haarlem with bleaching fields by Jacob Van Ruisdael (1675).

The indicated oil painting captures the essence of the beautiful Dutch landscape on canvas perfectly. 

Foggy white clouds shadow most of the bottom half of the landscape painting, creating an inviting and cozy feel to the painting.

The artist did an excellent job of setting the undertone of the painting by placing the viewer on a higher note than the landscape.

This elevated detail makes the viewer look around the painting for other elements.

The bleaching grounds shown in the right center of the canvas are the main highlight of the landscape.

The church in the distance is said to be St. Bravo’s church in Haarlem. 

The painting is now located in Kunsthaus Zurich, Switzerland.

10. The Grand Canal at the Church of La Salute by Giovanni Antonio Canal (1742).

This landscape artwork provides the viewer with a detailed panoramic view of  Venice.

The meticulous detail done by the artist is so sophisticated that one might even view minute details done on the great cathedral on the right.

The boats and the people shown in the landscape give character to the foreground of the painting, making it one of the most famous landscape paintings of all time.  

At the time of painting, it is said that Giovanni focused mainly on the architectural designs of the buildings.

This famous Italian landscape painting currently resides in the Emil Georg Bührle collection in Zurich, Switzerland.

11. The Oxbow by Thomas Cole (1836).

Oxbow by Thomas Cole is an excellent representation of the silence which falls on a village just after the passing of a thunderstorm.

The contrast shown in the scenic painting by the American artist is poetic and does justice to the beauty of the landscape.

Thomas Cole received great praise for this artwork for the portrayal of the Connecticut river valley,

Which is why it is considered the best scenery painting of all time.

Thomas then sold this painting to Charles Talbot, which eventually made its way to the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

12. White Night by Edvard Munch (1901).

Edvard Munch was an artist with a one-of-a-kind painting style.

Concentrating more on the scenic beauty of the place; the artist didn’t focus much on the foreground subjects.

The White Night is a depiction of the Norwegian winter, where Munch was from. 

The effect of being moonlit from the right gives this famous oil painting the name “ White Night”.

The declining line of sight gives the landscape painting depth to immerse the viewer. 

Unlike other famous landscape artists, Edvard liked to have an anxious feeling to his paintings.

The National Museum is where the painting is currently displayed.

13. Ski Jacket by Peter Doig (1994).

This is Peter Doig’s artwork, a large compilation of 2 canvases. 

Yes, you heard it right. The two canvases combine to depict a Japanese mountain with skiers learning to ski.

Even crazier is that Peter made this famous mountain painting by just looking at a photograph.

With the use of vibrant colors, the painting opens up the mirror line separating the two canvases.

Many small skiers who are learning to ski fill the landscape artwork with life.

This was one of the best works by this famous painter.

One of the great landscape paintings, it is unfortunately not on display anywhere for people to see.

It is a part of the collection at Tate.

14. The Morning in a Pine Forest by Ivan Shishkin and Konstantin Savitsky (1889).

A collaboration between a pair of these famous landscape painters resulted in a truly breathtaking view of the Russian flora and fauna. 

This scene depicts a family of bear cubs along with their mother wandering about the fallen tree.

The detailed view of the tree made it one of the most famous tree paintings in Russia, receiving recognition worldwide and being reproduced on various items.

It is said that Shishkin is the one who started this famous landscape painting, contributing to it on his vacations.

Several years later, Savitsky pitched in and drew the bears.

The season of autumn is clearly distinguished by the dead leaves and the perfectly brushed rays of sunlight that drop from the top onto the subject of the painting. 

It is now a part of the State Tretyakov Gallery.

15. Rain, Steam, and Speed- The Great Western Railway by J.M.W. Turner (1844).

In one of the most famous landscape paintings from the industrial age, Turner absolutely perfectly portrays the era. 

The painting’s main body consists of a railway train traveling amidst the countryside during rainfall. 

The railway depicted here is the Great Western Railway, as it was the icon of the industrial revolution in Britain. 

Various elements of the painting, like the boat, the bridges, and the hare, are recognized by other artists as sublime examples of artistic skill.

In this famous oil painting, he also tried to portray several negative effects, like the smoke given out because of the revolution.

The bridge shown in this famous landscape painting is mainly believed to be the Maidenhead Railway Bridge in London, where Turner lived for over 30 years.

In 1844 it was shown as a part of the Royal Academy, but now it resides in the National Gallery in London.

16. Lake Keitel by Akseli Gallen (1904).

As one of the most famous oil paintings of nature in the world, Lake Keitel is also renowned as the Vision of Finland. 

The artist did an outstanding job showing the stillness and the peace of the lake on the canvas.

Akseli painted 4 versions of this painting, one for each season.

This Oil artwork is present at The National Gallery and has been stared at in awe by people ever since 1999.

 Truly Mesmerizing!

17. Sea of Ice by Caspar David Freidrich (1824).

This famous oil painting of nature shows a wrecked ship, stuck in ice in the Arctic ocean. 

Another masterpiece to be featured on our journey, this famous scenery painting is the perfect embodiment of romanticism to ever be portrayed on a canvas. 

The use of the colors white and yellow to display the vastness and the distance covered by the snow is just immaculate.

 The right side of the painting shows the ship along with the rocks protruding from the Earth, becoming the main highlight of the work.

It is now present in Kunsthalle, Hamburg.

18. Looking down the Yosemite Valley by Albert Bierstadt (1865).

According to many artists, this is the best sunset artwork done in the 19th century.

This was Albert’s first extensive painting of the Yosemite Valley, and we can all agree he killed it. 

The degree of realism portrayed in this painting is second to none making it one of the most famous paintings of nature. 

The artist has done an amazing job of showing the great distance covered in the landscape.

It also features El Capitan, which is a famous cliff on the left.

Because of that, it is also one of the best landscape paintings to ever be canvassed.

After receiving a lot of success, it was then made a part of the Birmingham Museum of Art.

19. Mont Sainte-Victoire by Paul Cézanne(1906).

Don’t we all just love the peace and quiet of the countryside?

Paul managed to capture the serenity and the purity of the southern French countryside flawlessly.

Widely known to be one of the best landscape paintings by famous artists, Mont Sainte-Victoire truly captures the attention of the viewers.

 From the trees to the left to the bridge on the right, the viewer is completely engrossed in the brushstrokes of the artist till he reaches the end of the canvas, wanting to see more. 

The small houses, showing the sparsity of the region, just add the perfect amount of character to the scene.

 It is now a part of the Barnes Foundation in Pennsylvania.

20. The Hunters in the Snow by Pieter Brugel the Elder (1565).

Truly an artist with a distinct style of painting, Pieter Brugel’s The Hunters in the Snow is a depiction of hard work.

Among many others, this famous landscape painting marked the beginning of the early Renaissance period.

The painting is filled with character and personality because of the sheer magnitude of elements that make up the painting. 

 Although only made with muted colors, it has its own brilliance and tells a story that never ceases to amaze the viewer.

From little animals and birds to humongous mountains, the artist had a knack for making the most beautiful landscape paintings. 

21. Snow Storm: Hannibal and his army crossing the alps by Joseph Mallord William Turner (1812).

Nature’s force is the main highlight of this artwork.

It depicts a general, Hannibal and his army crossing the Alps while facing the local tribes.

The soldiers in the painting are trying to run from an avalanche coming down the right.

The big black cloud is shown to represent nature’s anger at Hannibal.

Turner manifests the helplessness of humans when it comes to nature.

 It now resides in the Tate Gallery, among other famous landscape paintings.

22. The Tempest by Giorgione (1508).

This Renaissance painting was commissioned by a Venetian noble named Vendramin.

The painting, unlike the usual famous landscape paintings, has the main focus on the two characters rather than the backdrop of the painting. 

On the left of the painting, a soldier is standing looking over his left shoulder.

While on the right, under the tree, is a woman who is attending to her child. 

The vivid backdrop of the city of Venice immerses the viewer, who is left searching for more. 

The bland details of the ground create a great contrast with those of the city and the lake.

 It is located at the Galleria Dell’Accademia in Venice.

23. Fishing by Annibale Carracci(1595).

This famous oil painting of a landscape is an excellent example of the separation of the dark to light hues of color used by Caracci. 

The canvas highlights the busy occupation of fishing carried out by the people.

The painting has 12 distinct figures carrying out the said act on the shores of a river, giving the landscape a busy feeling. 

This painting also received huge praise from other artists like Manet, who found inspiration in this artwork and made their own brilliant copies.

It’s a part of the collection of the famous Louvre Museum.

 24. The Wetterhorn by Karl Edvard Biermann (1830).

The view of Wetterhorn is one of the most famous mountain paintings of all time. 

Regarded as one of the greats, it portrays a lonely traveler making his way up a hedge away from the great snowy peak. 

Because of the amazing atmosphere generated by the clouds, it gives the painting a homey feeling.

The slight dabble of yellow leaves in the flora offers a homely feeling to the landscape.

At the core of the painting is a small town with a big cathedral towering over the civilization. 

The painting is currently at home at the San Diego Museum of Art. 

25. The Heart of the Andes by Freidrich Edwin Church (1859).

One of the most famous landscape paintings by Church, The Heart, is influenced by South American geography, which amazed the artist with its beauty. 

Cyrus West Field, a South American businessman, had financed  Church for the painting to attract investors for his endeavors.

The topography visible is the Andes mountains, hence the name “The Heart of the Andes.”

The main attraction of this landscape artwork is the waterfall, which entraps the mind to stare into its never-ending charm. 

 This painting is now a part of the iconic gallery of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

26. Wheatfield with crows by Vincent Van Gogh (1890). 

Vincent Van Gogh was known to add drama to his paintings, and this famous landscape painting is full of it. 

The crows in this painting are a symbol of the cycle of life, rebirth, and death.

This is especially creepy as this is the artist’s last painting before he died weeks later.

His death is still one of the greatest art mysteries in the world.

It was put on display at the Van Gogh Museum. 

It was stolen in 1991 but was recovered immediately.

27. Bigger Trees near Warter by David Hockney(2007).

The scene for this classic landscape painting is set in Warter in the UK, and it is one of the more recent famous landscape paintings on our list.

The main subject of this landscape painting is a sycamore tree, which spreads all the way across the canvas.

The characterization of these trees makes it one of the most famous landscape paintings ever painted.  

The red houses on the right side of the canvas add more character to a bland yet tasteful landscape and create a perfect entrance for the path on the left. 

It is also at home in the Tate Museum for people to appreciate. 

28. Impression, Sunrise by Claude Monet(1872).

Suggested read: Famous paintings by Claude Monet

One of the most monotonous of the famous landscape paintings, Claude Monet’s idea of the sunrise in the port of Paris is a spectacular work of art.

 Monet received a lot of criticism for this painting, saying that it was incomplete and lacked elements of landscape artwork. 

Because of the criticism this landscape painting received regarding its lack of character, it is also one of the most infamous paintings ever painted.

Even if the painting appears desaturated at first glance, there are many elements in the background to be found.

Don’t you just find paintings by Claude Monet surreal? Want one to fashion the walls of your house too?

Well, look no further. Just visit our Claude Monet replica painting gallery for more info.

29. Early Spring by Gio Xi (1072).

This antique helps educate the viewer about the ancient Chinese painting traditions. 

The method used by this famous landscape artist to paint this artwork is called “the angle of totality.” 

This method helps give a three-dimensional view of this famous landscape painting. 

 The famous artist, Gio Xi, was one of China’s greatest song landscapists. 

It involves various placements of foggy clouds seen from various angles, each one depicting a different story to the viewer. 

 30. Travelers among mountains and streams by Fan Kuan (1000).

If you thought the last one was ancient, you will be bewildered by the age of this one. 

More than a millennia-old, this painting is one of the most popular landscape paintings by famous artists.

The background consists of a towering peak and is next to a thin waterfall falling onto the Chinese landscape. 

The sheer depth and persona of the mountain are displayed amazingly by showing every nook and cranny of the mountain. 

You won’t believe it, but this artwork is actually painted on a silk scroll from the 11th century.

It is currently placed in the National Palace Museum in Taipei as a part of ancient Chinese heritage. 

31. The Fighting Temeraire by J. M. W. Turner(1839).

This is one of the most famous landscape paintings in the history of ship paintings. 

The vessel is the main subject of the landscape artwork and is shown to be wrecked on the shore of the river Thames in England. 

It is being pulled onto the shore by two tug boats 

This massive ship is mostly inspired by a 98- gunship and its heroic battle voyage.

It is said that this oil painting artwork was made on a canvas on which the artist had started another ship painting.

This painting later embarked on a European journey where it was displayed in Amsterdam, Bern, Paris, Brussels, Liege, and then Venice. 

The painting is currently being displayed at the National Gallery in London. 

32. Mr. and Mrs. Andrews by Thomas Gainsborough (1750).

 

Unlike others, this famous landscape painting is said to be a compilation of two different types of paintings used by the artist.

This is a landscape as well as a portrait painting, and the two subjects are said to be Mr. Robert Andrews and Mrs. Frances Andrews.

Gainsborough was just 24 when he painted this masterpiece.

Despite being into painting landscapes, he has many portraits to his name, where he adds a hint of landscaping to each.

After this artwork received a lot of success, Thomas was recognized by many artists as one of the greatest artists of his niche.

33. The Monk By The Sea by Caspar David Freidrich (1810).

Just like his earlier works, this is one of the most coveted and famous landscape paintings, whose pictures were even craved for by the German Monarch, Friedrick William III.

By using dark-toned colors, the artist has found success in highlighting the near-apocalyptic scenario.

This is also another example of Ruckenfigur.

It is also said that Friedrich continued to add small edits to the painting right up until the moment it was displayed.

Although it was a landscape painting by a famous artist, it received a lot of criticism from viewers because of the lack of elements available in the artwork.

It now resides in the Alte Nationalgalerie in Germany.

34. The Vale of Dedham by John Constable(1828).

This artwork is said to be one of the most famous and peaceful landscape paintings ever painted. 

It is said that this painting was inspired by Hagar of The Angel, another famous landscape painting by the famous landscape painter Claude Lorraine. 

The landscape in the painting is on the essex- suffolk border, which was also called Dedham Vale.

The artist has also sketched and painted the same subject multiple times, and in the latter variations, he added more subjects to show deviation

The original, along with many of its versions, is now at rest in the Scottish National Gallery.

35. Kindred Spirits by Asher Brown Durand(1849).

This American scenery painting was commissioned by a man called Johnathan Sturges.

It features two of Surge’s painter friends who he lost in 1848, Thomas Cole and William Cullen Bryant.

The painter has done their spirits justice by beautifully capturing the landscape’s elevation.

Kindred Spirits is the artist’s most famous painting, not only because of the intent of the painting but also because of the depth perception he has given to the painting. 

The artist did not fail to capture the personality of the small waterfall, rocky stream, and distant peaks.

36. The Isle of the Dead by Arnold Bocklin(1880).

This famous landscape painting was made by the artist for his patron, named Marie Berna, who had dedicated it to her late husband.

Unlike others on this list, this oil painting artwork is actually painted on a wooden base.

It is one of the most famous landscape paintings and has been reproduced numerous times due to the stillness experienced by the viewer.

It is also said that this painting could be found in every German home.

An original version of this painting was even owned by Adolf Hitler.

Bocklin made another painting which was the complete opposite in terms of colors and personality. It was called The Isle of Life.

Both artworks now hang in the Hermitage Museum, Saint-Petersburg.

An art; it is soothing and chaotic simultaneously; such is the beauty of Landscape artworks. 

For decades, if not centuries, these famous landscape artists have found a medium for melting our hearts with their art.

An art form that started out as a way to appreciate nature, which eventually matured into a form of self-expression, storytelling, and conceptualizing thoughts and ideas. 

And I’m sure you must have reflected upon some spectacles which caught your eye as calm and soothing. So why not paint it?

Have a professional artist paint your favorite scenery, which will also spice up your room decor.

Yo fellow Art Homies,

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