Why Paint a Landscape?

Long Beach Museum of Art | LBMA Ocean, East Ocean Boulevard 2300, 90803, Long Beach

March 20, 2026 – September 27, 2026

In his book To See Is to Think: Looking at American Art, Joshua Taylor asks, "Why paint a landscape?" At first, the answer appears simple. However, throughout the long history of art, painting a landscape for its own sake—rather than just as a background for another subject—is relatively recent. Among the landscape paintings in the Museum's permanent collection, several responses to Taylor's question emerge, indicating motivations that go far beyond just pleasant wall decoration. Selections from the Permanent Collection.