Nature has been a muse to so many poets and painters over the past centuries, up until today. With art as a lens, artists have been able to draw attention to some of the most pressing matters in human and environmental affairs. Here are a few of the most famous nature-inspired art works: 

  1. Van Gogh: “Irises”, 1889
1 Van Gogh Irises

Although Van Gogh’s work was more popular posthumous than they were in his lifetime, nature greatly influenced his work. From Sunflowers to Irises, his paintings of flowers have a life of their own on his canvases. 

  1. Paul Cezanne: “Mont Sainte-Victoire”, 1895
3 cezanne

A little more obscure to non-art buffs, Paul Cezanne sought to depict human forms and buildings as simply an extension from the natural landscape – blending in almost seamlessly to the side of the hills – the inherent quality of the landscape giving it its light and color. 

  1. Claude Monet: “Water Lilies”, 1919
4 water lillies

A celebrated Impressionist of his time, Monet’s nature paintings are well known in the history of art. He promoted direct contact to nature and used it to develop new trends in painting. 

  1. Georgia O’Keeffe: “Waterfall, No 1, ‘Iao Valley Maui”, 1939
5 georgia okeeffe

Famous for her abstracted paintings of the American desert, not many people knew that O’Keeffe spent several months in Maui, one of the lush islands of Hawaii. This painting serves as a tribute to the land, untouched by human development or pollution. Seeing the purity of the landscape is a religious experience for anyone who visits Hawaii. 

  1. Winslow Homer: “Gloucester Harbor”, 1873
File:Gloucester Harbor Winslow Homer 1873.jpeg - Wikimedia Commons

A self-taught American artist, Homer was fascinated with nature and used the traditional oil medium to paint his landscape and marine subjects during his working vacations. His painting of Gloucester Harbor showcases the beauty of color, the shifting light, and the serene atmosphere of the vacation at sea. 

We hope these paintings inspired you for the watercolor painting activity this week! 

Post Written By: Monique Santoso