Seeing Nature explores the development of landscape painting, from a small window on the world to interpretations of artists’ personal experiences with their surroundings on land and sea. It reveals the power of landscape to locate the viewer in time and place—to record, explore, and understand the natural and man-made world. This exhibition presents masterpieces spanning five centuries by artists such as Paul Cézanne, David Hockney, Edward Hopper, Gustav Klimt, Claude Monet, Thomas Moran, Georgia O’Keeffe, Gerhard Richter and J.M.W. Turner.

In the 19^th century, the early impressionists focused on direct observation of nature. This exhibition is particularly strong in the works of Claude Monet. Five Monet landscapes spanning 30 years are featured, from views of the French countryside to one of his late representations of water lilies, Le Bassin aux Nymphéas of 1919. Cézanne and his fellow post‐impressionists used a more subjective approach to creating works such as La Montagne Sainte-Victoire (1888-90). Also on view is Austrian painter Gustav Klimt’s rare landscape masterpiece, Birch Forest of 1903, exhibited for the first time since 2006.

Several works in the exhibition offer varying interpretations of a single location. Venice’s romantic vista is seen through multiple lenses, from Canaletto’s detailed renderings, to J.M.W. Turner and Thomas Moran’s dreamy visions, to Manet’s photographic crispness and Monet’s nearly abstract composition. The Grand Canyon’s immensity is seen in Moran’s intimately scaled depiction, Arthur Wesley Dow’s mesmerizing pattern of ridged peaks and David Hockney’s multi-canvas composition. The last part of the exhibition explores the paintings of 20^th century artists, such as Georgia O’Keeffe, Edward Hopper, David Hockney, Gerhard Richter and Ed Ruscha, who brought fresh perspectives to traditional landscape subjects.

Related Events

OCTOBER 14, 2016 – JANUARY 15, 2017

This exhibition is co-organized by Portland Art Museum, the Seattle Art Museum and the Paul G. Allen Family Collection. The New Orleans presentation is sponsored by the New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Read NOMA unveils 400 years of landscape masterworks in ‘Seeing Nature’ touring exhibition article.

Related Programs

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14

OPENING NIGHT LECTURE | 6:30 PM

Vacation Work: The Landscapes by Gustav Klimt

Janice Staggs, Director of Curatorial Affairs, The Neue Galerie

GALLERY TALK | 7:30 PM Vanessa Schmid, Senior Research Curator for European Art

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 4 | 7:30 PM

GALLERY TALK

Vanessa Schmid, Senior Research Curator for European Art

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 18

NOMA BOOK CLUB | NOON

Standing in the Sun: A Life of JMW Turner

by Anthony Bailey

GALLERY TALK | 7:30 PM Vanessa Schmid, Senior Research

Curator for European Art

DECEMBER 2 | 7:30 PM

ARTIST PERSPECTIVE

Lake Douglas, Ph.D., ASLA, Landscape Architect

DECEMBER 16 | 6:30 PM

LECTURE

Seeing Nature, Knowing the World. Landscape in Europe & America Professor Rachel DeLue, Princeton University

FILM SERIES

All held indoors in NOMA’s Stern Auditorium

NOVEMBER 4, 7:30 PM | Woman In Gold

DECEMBER 23, 7:30 PM | Klimt

DECEMBER 30, 7:30 PM | Rivers and Tides: Andy Goldsworthy Working with Time

JANUARY 6, 7:30 PM | David Hockney: A Bigger Picture

NOONTIME TALKS

Join Vanessa Schmid, Senior Research Curator for European Art on the following dates at noon for a tour of Seeing Nature: Landscape Masterworks.

October 19
November 2
November 9
November 30
January 4

JANUARY 13 | 6:30 PM

LECTURE

Reflections of Venice: Canaletto, Turner and Manet

Vanessa Schmid, Senior Research Curator for European Art

Partners

The exhibition is co-organized by Portland Art Museum, the Seattle Art Museum and the Paul G. Allen Family Collection. The New Orleans presentation is sponsored by the New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Travel Incentives

NOMA’s preferred hotel partner for this exhibition is the Hyatt Regency New Orleans. Use this link to book your stay at the Hyatt and you will receive a discount!