Capel Curig, Caernarvonshire, Wales c. 1840s

David Cox created this watercolour titled 'Capel Curig, Caernarvonshire, Wales,' sometime in the first half of the 19th century. At this time, landscape painting became a popular way of expressing British national identity. The wild and rugged scenery of Wales and Scotland offered a suitable contrast to the urban and industrial landscapes of England, and the cultural institutions of the art world, such as the Royal Academy, actively promoted landscape painting as a national school of art. But landscape painting was about more than just national identity. It also reflected changing social attitudes to the land. As cities grew and became more crowded, more people came to value the countryside as a place of leisure and recreation. Tourist industries blossomed. We can research these changes in land use, class structure, and social values by reading contemporary literature and travel guides. This helps us understand better how landscape painting took on its cultural meaning.