ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the author focuses on landscape art. He suggests that, for a full understanding of twentieth-century art and culture, this materialist approach, based on the study of art in the context of the house. The author also suggests that neighborhood should be combined with a materialist approach based on an analysis of the impact of the mode of production. Historical landscapes are far more common on Manhattan's East Side than in Greenpoint. These landscapes reflect an overwhelming preference for a nature that is sedate and tranquil. The author's research is based on samples of houses and people drawn from three neighborhoods in the New York City area, representing a cross section of social classes—upper class, middle class, and working class. The work of Cezanne and Monet, whose major landscapes are set in France—the apex of society at that time—is an interesting place to begin.
