Who hasn’t dreamed of immersing themselves in the fascinating world of landscape paintings—surrounded by rolling hills, flora and fauna—particularly in the thick of spring? Once regarded as the wide-lens counterpart to fruit-bowl still-lifes, American pastoral art has slowly developed a cult following. Coming soon to a museum near you, these mesmerizing depictions of nature will have you longing to graze in the pasture.

Edward Hopper in Vermont
Danbury, CT

Iconic American painter Edward Hopper is mostly known for his depictions of Manhattan and urban New York during the early 20th century. But Hopper was equally adept at landscapes, and admired the peaceful scenery of Vermont. Get in on the pastoral action at Middlebury College’s Museum of Art, where you can glimpse a chronological display of Hopper’s watercolor, drawings and oil paintings of blue skies, majestic mountains and green meadows.
May 23- August 11, 2013
Middlebury College Museum of Art

Albert Bierstadt in New York & New England
Catskills/Hudson Valley, NY

The Thomas Cole National Historic Site adds some excitement to the pastoral art scene with Albert Bierstadt’s lesser known hardcore landscape paintings of the East Coast. According to Art Fix Daily, the exhibition will “… offer a rare chance to see the artist’s faithful depictions of botanical and geological details in the unspoiled wilderness, mountains, and meadows in the White Mountains, Hudson Valley, and in New England and New York.” Cole himself was a noted expert in the realm of American pastoral art, so make sure to catch a few of his heart-stopping original works on your way out.
April 28- November 3, 2013
Thomas Cole National Historic Site

Sylvan Sounds: Freer, Dewing and Japan
Washington, DC

Smithsonian museum founder Charles Lang Freer grew to love Japanese art through his passionate affection for American landscape paintings. Curators took note, creating an exhibition which juxtaposes the rebellious works of American landscape painter Thomas Dewing with Japanese art from Freer’s personal collection. In what Passport DC describes as an “intimate exhibition”, visitors to the Freer Gallery of Art will experience a visual and emotional rollercoaster of pastoral works from East to West.
May 28, 2013- May 28, 2014
Freer Gallery of Art at the Smithsonian Institute

Audubon’s Birds
Boston, MA

Take the naturalist’s approach to pastoral art when you check out James Audubon’s bird portraits at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. These graphic depictions of avian life showcase a diverse range of North American birds in their native habitats. Each illustrated page (often accompanied by nature-inspired verse) is over three feet high, giving viewers a rare, uncensored pictography of our feathered friends. Some smaller works are also included.
July 27- May 11, 2014
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

Compass for Surveyors: Nineteenth-Century American Landscapes
Los Angeles, CA

Proper proportion in landscape paintings often ensure that they’re pleasing to the eye. The Los Angeles County Museum of Art focuses on how land surveyors, compasses and photography influenced the paintings of American artists in their “Compass for Surveyors” installation. The exhibition features every single landscape painting from the nineteenth century from the museum’s in-house collection. Architect aficionados, we can’t think of a more riveting afternoon excursion!
Los Angeles County Museum of Art
Through December 2013