Heaven and Hell: Appendix 5 Summary and Analysis

Huxley discusses landscape paintings and the distance at which it is perceived. He begins by discussing a Vuillard painting he had referenced in "Heaven and Hell." From there, Huxley discusses landscape painting in general. There are few Europeans who painted landscapes, and the majority of landscapes are by Chinese or Japanese artists. Huxley considers that paintings of nature can make people believe that they understand the art because they are so familiar with nature. Landscape paintings help people to see divinity and truth in nature. Another powerful aspect of these paintings is that they often show one thing set against a plain background, thus highlighting the object.

This discussion helps to show Huxley's interest in the idea of solitude. Landscape paintings are discussed at length in "Heaven and Hell," but here he attempts to explain...