Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, created by Frederic Edwin Church in 1870, is considered a masterpiece in panoramic landscape art. The painting showcases the scenic view of the Holy City embedded in a panoramic landscape and under an expansive, cloud-filled sky. Positioned near the center of the print is the Dome of Rock- one of Jerusalem’s most iconic landmarks. Travelers are also visible on this artwork’s foreground since they invite actual viewers to wonder at this picturesque scene.
This painting falls under Luminism style and landscape genre as it portrays nature’s beauty without including human intervention. This form highlights an interplay between light and dark tones that enhances natural luminosity properties to implicate nature itself as awe-inspiring without any human modification.
This artwork provides excellent information on the development of Jerusalem as well since it depicts how natural surroundings have integrated with man-made structures within it. This print can be accessed through different mediums available online or seen in person at Nelson-Atkins Museum located at Kansas City that offers hand-painted reproductions done by their talented artists for those interested in experiencing its beauty in full scale.
