Creating the Countryside

Book excerpt: *Creating the Countryside* provokes reflection on the artistic, social and political forces that have played an important role in forming successive generations perceptions of this green and pleasant land. The rural idyll occupies a deeply rooted place in the nations psyche Compton Verneys Capability Brown landscaped grounds are themselves an expression of this. *Creating the Countryside* explores how artists have shaped the vision of rural life and landscape, offering a new perspective on the countryside and its expression in contemporary art and society. Works by artists including Thomas Gainsborough, Claude Lorrain, George Stubbs and Stanley Spencer are joined by pieces from contemporary artists such as Mat Collishaw, Anna Fox, Sigrid Holmwood and Grayson Perry to present you with a broad spectrum of responses to, and interpretations of, this sceptred isle.