The Perception of Landscape
This course is part of Lectura de imágenes históricas.
This engaging course explores the rich history and multisensory perception of landscapes across time. Beginning with the Renaissance humanists who first conceptualized landscape in philology and painting, the course traces our evolving relationship with the natural world through to Impressionism and the avant-garde movements that deconstructed traditional visual representations. Using a unique five-senses methodology based on Aristotelian principles, participants will analyze landscapes beyond mere visual appreciation—connecting sight to environmental knowledge, hearing to music, taste to gastronomy, smell to botany and perfumery, and touch to carnal love. The curriculum examines humanity's journey from idealized celestial paradises to real-world natural environments, exploring the universal nostalgia for "paradise lost" across cultures and how gardens represent scaled-down paradises. Students will distinguish between the "cultivated world" (agricultural landscapes, urban environments, gardens) and the "uncultivated world" (seas, deserts, mountains) in preindustrial societies. Most fascinatingly, the course charts how human perception has transformed over centuries—from the traditional frontal view of walkers, sailors, and riders facing the horizon, to the lateral perspective introduced by train travel during the Industrial Revolution, to the vertical perspective enabled by aviation and submarines, and finally to the virtual landscapes of the internet age. By understanding these perceptual shifts, participants will gain a deeper appreciation for how technology and cultural changes have fundamentally altered our relationship with the natural world.
Instructors:
Pedro García Martín
Spanish
Spanish
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What you'll learn
Explore the history of landscape perception from Renaissance to modern times
Develop techniques for experiencing landscapes through all five senses
Analyze visual representations of landscapes in art, photography, and media
Examine literary descriptions of landscapes across different periods
Learn methodologies for comprehensive landscape analysis
Understand how technological developments have transformed landscape perception
Skills you'll gain
This course includes:
PreRecorded video
Graded assessments
Access on Mobile, Tablet, Desktop
Limited Access access
Shareable certificate
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There are 5 modules in this course
This course offers a comprehensive exploration of landscape perception throughout history, focusing on how humans have viewed and interpreted their surroundings across different eras and through various sensory experiences. The curriculum begins with the emergence of landscape awareness during the Renaissance, when humanists first began to conceptualize landscape in both philology and painting. It traces the evolution of landscape representation through various artistic movements, from classical styles to Impressionism and avant-garde approaches that deconstructed traditional imagery. A distinctive feature of the course is its methodology for analyzing landscapes through all five senses, based on Aristotelian principles. This approach connects visual perception to environmental knowledge, hearing to music, taste to gastronomy, smell to botany and perfumery, and touch to physical sensations. The course examines the concept of paradise across cultures, analyzing how gardens serve as human-scale representations of idealized natural environments. It distinguishes between cultivated landscapes (agricultural, urban, and garden environments) and uncultivated ones (seas, deserts, and mountains) in preindustrial societies. Most significantly, the curriculum traces the transformation of spatial perception throughout human history—from the traditional frontal view of walkers and sailors, to the lateral perspective introduced by train travel during the Industrial Revolution, to the vertical viewpoint enabled by aviation and submarines, culminating with the virtual landscapes of the digital age.
History of landscape
Module 1
Perceiving landscape through the five senses
Module 2
Images representing landscapes
Module 3
Texts describing landscapes
Module 4
Methods for landscape analysis
Module 5
Fee Structure
Individual course purchase is not available - to enroll in this course with a certificate, you need to purchase the complete Professional Certificate Course. For enrollment and detailed fee structure, visit the following: Lectura de imágenes históricas
Payment options
Financial Aid
Instructor
Pedro García Martín
6 Courses
Catedrático de Historia Moderna, Escritor y Divulgador en la Universidad Autónoma de Madrid
Pedro García Martín es catedrático de Historia Moderna en la Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM) y escritor, con una extensa trayectoria docente desde 1984 tanto en la UAM como en instituciones de Italia, Finlandia, Portugal, Francia y Estados Unidos. Es miembro fundador del grupo ROGLE y ha impartido clases sobre historia rural, historia cultural, paisaje, la Orden de Malta y las cruzadas, además de participar en proyectos de investigación y gestión universitaria
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