Topographical tradition

The topographical tradition describes a long-established tradition of painting largely or entirely concerned with specific places on the earth and their topography.

A Welsh Sunset River Landscape by Paul Sandby, oil on panel (c. 1775-1800)

In his article "The Topographical Tradition", Bruce McElvoy states that the topographical tradition is rooted in 18th-century British watercolour painting intended to serve practical as well as aesthetic purposes: "At the beginning of the 18th century, the topographical watercoulor was primarily used as an objective record of an actual place in an era before photography."

Further reading

• The Topographical Tradition. Albany Institute of History and Art.
• British Topography. The British Museum.

See also

• Landscape art
• Veduta