Landscape Concept Art by Ludwig Meidner

If you’re looking for some inspiration when it comes to landscape concept art, you can look at old Chinese or Roman landscapes. Alternatively, you can take a photo of a hilly landscape and combine it with a river that flows. The result will be a stunning scene. You can also explore the works of Meidner, who combines photos of ancient Chinese and Roman landscapes to create his series “Wheelbarrows and Shovels.”

Roman and Chinese landscapes

The summer solstice this year saw the opening of Xu Longsen’s exhibition, On Top of Two Empires, at the Museum of Roman Civilization in Rome. It features the work of one of China’s leading landscape painters. The exhibition aims to establish a dialogue between Chinese and Roman art. Xu Longsen’s paintings are often paired with works of Roman architecture and sculpture. Historically, Chinese art has played a pivotal role in the development of Western art, providing spirituality and synthesis. Orientalism – a blend of Chinese and Japanese cultures – challenged the one-point perspective of Western art, and artists such as Mark Rothko were inspired by Chinese spirituality, producing abstract paintings.

The concept of atmospheric perspective has been used in Chinese and Roman landscape art for centuries. Ancient Chinese landscape paintings used the technique to convey their mystical fantasy. The French engraver who was studying ancient Chinese landscape paintings, for instance, found the words “Garden of the Thousand Snow Tracks” on a copy of a Chinese original. He then carefully copied those words and incorporated them into the painting. In this way, he was able to convey the idea of the “Garden of the Thousand Snow Tracks” in an artificial mound.

Meidner

The Meidner landscape concept art series features a range of landscape paintings and abstract works. Meidner, a German painter, studied at the Breslau Academy between 1905 and 1907. After the First World War, he worked as a fashion artist in Berlin and studied at the Académie Julian in Paris. During his time in Paris, he remained independent of the avant-garde art movement, becoming friends with the likes of Modigliani. After his Paris stint, Meidner returned to his hometown of Berlin, where he began producing landscape paintings. Around 1912, he began painting visionary scenes. By 1913, he was painting landscapes that depicted the end of time.

Meidner incorporated elements of Italian Futurism, French Cubism, and Orphism into his paintings. He rendered buildings in different perspectives, breaking down the static architecture and making it appear dynamic. The artist also founded an artists’ group called Pathetiker, which focused on giving each painting a grand, stimulating theme. Themes included man’s isolation in the big city and the end of the world.

Meidner created apocalyptic landscapes as early as 1912. These works were created during an intense heatwave, and they foreshadowed the horrors of the First World War a few years later. Meidner painted fifteen versions of his apocalyptic landscapes, including his famous “Apocalypse.” Other versions of this work are preserved at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and his drawings were exhibited at the Art Institute of Chicago.

Meidner’s landscape concept art is the result of his life’s events. After his exile in England, he and his wife moved back to Germany. They lived in Frankfurt for six years before moving to the town of Hofheim in the Taunus region. During these years, Meidner was able to pursue his interest in modernity. Eventually, he moved to Darmstadt.

Meidner’s “Wheelbarrows and Shovels” series

The Expressionist master Ludwig Meidner created a series of landscape concept art works in the early twentieth century. These paintings were some of the most unique and imaginative creations of the era. Meidner’s visionary aesthetic resonates today as it did a century ago. There are 15 versions of this series of landscapes, which were completed between 1912 and 1916. The Los Angeles County Museum of Art owns other versions, and the Art Institute of Chicago holds the original drawings.

Meidner’s artistic vision extends beyond just creating stunning images. He was also a poet and writer. He published three books, one of which was a collection of poems. However, his works never gained much recognition. His poetry and short stories, which were composed during the WWI period, are somewhat darker, and the stories often depict horror and unreality.

Meidner’s “Apocalyptic landscapes”

In his Berlin studio, Meidner created a series of “Apocalyptic landscapes,” which foreshadowed the First World War. These paintings depicted the earth rising from its grave, dead plants and vegetation, and the distorted limbs of three naked victims – all signs of an uncontrollable power.

Although Meidner’s works have a distinctly Expressionist theme, he remained distinct from his contemporaries in many ways. He embraced the idea that artists were responsible for inspiring renewal, and his apocalyptic landscapes reflect this notion. These paintings also show Meidner’s commitment to the idea that the artist is responsible for inciting aesthetic introspection and cultural change.

Although Meidner was Jewish, he was critical of Christendom and war. He also expressed his feelings about total alienation and was active in the Berlin avant-garde. His works also contain eerie stories and a dark tone. His works never gained popularity.

In 1916, Meidner joined the German army and served as a translator. He later returned to Germany and became a member of the Berlin Academy of Fine Arts. After the war, Meidner devoted himself to writing. He published several books of dense, expressionist prose and contributed to numerous newspaper articles.

Meidner’s “Apocatic landscapes” were influenced by Paul Zech’s literary works. The artist’s imagery and writing evoked apocalyptic visions of post-war Germany. The works of Meidner are highly recommended for those interested in German Expressionism. Unfortunately, this volume is out of print.

The apocalyptic landscapes Meidner produced in the early twentieth century represent a transitional period in Meidner’s career. In 1911, his works were first publicly shown at the Galerie der Sturm in Berlin, as part of a group exhibition. The show also featured the first German exhibition of Italian Futurist art. He was interested in the Futurist manifesto and the work of Boccioni, and his paintings from 1912 and 1913 indicate his interest in modernity.