Using Berger's "Ways of Seeing," to analyze George Inness's "Lake Trasimero."

Essay by pectoralUniversity, Bachelor'sA+, May 2006

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Our group some how found ourselves in the scenery and landscape art when trying to fulfill this assignment. Drawn to George Inness's painting "Lake Trasimero," we found it to be full of content that Berger discusses in Ways of Seeing. In "Lake Trasimero," the first glance thought is it's just a painting of nice scenery but take a second look and the painting reveals a vast amount of hidden details, but only upon ponderous thought will a viewer become mystified.

"Lake Trasimero" is a painting of scattered lush foliage, perfect sky and the hills could just as easily crush us as cradle us as it falls into the valley with Lake Trasimero at its furthest perspective. Yet over the horizon, Inness paints clouds that are soft as pillows and either dusk is approaching or dawn has come. The sun never seems to rise, only set. Something invariably seems to be looming from beyond that chunk of blue sky something ominous.

The only real structure is of a modest chalet, it's located in the center of the painting as to show the viewer that life is simple and uncomplicated for the dweller of this community. There appears to be a trail or road that leads to the lake which gives the assumption that the lake and basic needs have a heavy symbiotic relationship. In the forefront there are a handful of trees that appear to be either birch or gum tree. The bark is rough and ragged and looks as though it's shedding which would lead assumptions that the trees are birch. This would mean that this area receives moderate rainfall and moderate amounts of snow in the winter and cool summers. The hills are well rounded with no rugged peaks or abrupt edges just smooth lines for the...