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Article: Back To Eden: Images From the Landscape Of the Imagined; At the NGA & Phillips, The Power of the Pastoral
- Article from:
- The Washington Post
- Article date:
- November 6, 1988
- Author:
CopyrightThis material is published under license from the Washington Post. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Washington Post. (Hide copyright information)
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Children hate landscape.
They don't start out hating it, they start out ignoring it.
They admire rainbows and moo-cows, they keep an eye on thunderstorms,
that kind of thing, but when it comes to bosky dells or pellucid
stream beds-scenes that landscape paintings have taught us to
admire-asking a child to look at scenery is like showing a dog his
reflection in a mirror-no reaction.
"I'm bored," says the 9-year-old in the back seat of the station
wagon.
"How can you be bored?" says Mom. "Look at the sunlight on that
river! It's just like Monet!"
"River," the kid says. "Monet."
He knows what's coming next-the old cultural ramrod, shoving it
down his throat like liver or public ...