Preserving the Picturesque: Perceptions of Landscape, Landscape Art, and Land Protection in the United States and China
Resource information
Date of publication
March 2014
Resource Language
ISBN / Resource ID
10.3390/land3010260
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© 2014 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article.
The predominant environmental consciousness in both the United States and China reflects an underlying sense of separation of people from nature. Likewise, traditional landscape paintings in the United States and China share a common underlying aesthetic—i.e., the “picturesque”. Together, these similarities appear to have led to the preservation of similar types of landscapes in both countries. Because decisions regarding landscape preservation and subsequent management of preserved areas in both countries reflect aesthetic preferences more than they reflect economic values placed on ecosystem services, contemporary artists have an opportunity to help shape future societal decisions regarding what natural areas to conserve and protect.
