Final answer:
Romantic artists valued landscapes for their emotional and expressive potential, which aligned with their idealization of nature, freedom, and individual imagination. Joseph Mallord William Turner exemplified this through his portrayal of the sublime in landscapes, aiming to evoke awe and terror. The Hudson River School in America further manifested this Romantic sentiment in art.
Step-by-step explanation:
The landscape was significant to Romantic artists because it represented a medium through which they could express emotion, freedom, and the power of nature. The decline of religious artwork gave way to the rise of landscapes, reflecting national pride and the beauty of the natural world. In England, watercolor landscapes became prominent in the 18th century, influenced by artists such as John Constable.
Joseph Mallord William Turner, a key figure in Romantic art, sought to capture the sublime in his paintings, portraying awe-inspiring natural events that elicited strong emotions. Turner’s works often depicted dramatic weather, shipwrecks, and historical narratives that embodied the idea of the sublime, as influenced by Edmund Burke’s notion that wild nature could provoke feelings of terror and awe in humans.
The Hudson River School, inspired by Romantic landscapes, became a pivotal art movement in 19th-century America, reflecting similar themes of grandeur and the divine in nature. Romantic artists endeavored to capture the fleeting beauty and power of landscapes, emphasizing the emotional impact and the individual’s connection to the environment.