landskapsmotiv

Landskapsmotiv is a term used in Swedish to describe landscape as the central subject in visual arts and literature, where the scenery is not merely a backdrop but the main object of representation. The motif commonly focuses on natural features such as terrain, water, light and weather, and it may carry symbolic or national meanings as well as documentary value. The term is widely applied to painting, printmaking and photography, and it is also used in literary and film contexts to anchor a work in a particular place.

Historically, the landscape as a distinct genre emerged in early modern Europe and gained prominence in Sweden in the 18th and 19th centuries. In the Romantic period landskapsmotiv was linked to ideas of national identity and the sublime, with emphasis on forests, lakes, mountains and coastlines. The practice of plein air painting reinforced the motif by stressing direct observation of weather and light. In modern and contemporary contexts landskapsmotiv remains a flexible descriptor for works where the environment shapes mood, memory or meaning.

In practice, landskapsmotiv can be used to evoke a sense of place, to imply historical or cultural context, or to document and idealize a region. It remains a common category in museum labels, art criticism and cultural studies, reflecting ongoing interest in how landscapes function as carriers of identity, perception and narrative.