Landschaftsbild

Landschaftsbild is a German term that refers to a depiction of the natural landscape in visual art or imagery. The word combines Landschaft (landscape) and Bild (picture). In art-historical usage, it denotes a genre or a single work that presents landscapes.

Historically, Landschaftsbild is used for landscape painting, a major genre in German-speaking regions from the 17th century onward, influenced by Dutch landscape painting. In the 18th and 19th centuries German artists such as Caspar David Friedrich and Philipp Otto Runge elevated landscapes as vehicles for mood, philosophy, and the sublime. The period also saw the development of realism and naturalism in landscape subjects, with artists focusing on how light, atmosphere, and nature are perceived.

Mediums include oil on canvas, watercolor, gouache, drawings, and prints. Landscape images portrayal natural features such as mountains, rivers, fields, forests, and skies, and may include human elements like villages or roads. Emphasis is typically on composition, light, weather, and atmosphere, as well as the relationship between observer and scenery.

In photography and film, the term Landschaftsbild can refer to a still image or shot of outdoor scenery. In art history, it is discussed as part of the landscape genre, often in relation to traditional Landschaftsmalerei and to later movements that explore space, memory, and perception.