A Return to the Picturesque: Reading the 1 Landscape in Lettie Viljoen's Landskap met vroue en slang

Abstract

In Landskap met vroue en slang (Landscape with Women and Snake) (1996) - the last novel published under Ingrid Winterbach's pseudonym Lettie Viljoen - the main character, Lena Bergh, relocates with her husband from Stellenbosch to Durban. As a result she suddenly finds herself in a lush, subtropical landscape that does not inspire her as a visual artist, but rather confuses and overwhelms her. Because of her psychological discontent, Lena deeply yearns for the familiar, soothing landscape of the Western Cape that she had to leave behind. She becomes so obsessed with her past in the Cape that she cannot succeed in continuing her life (or role as artist) in Durban with enthusiasm. One thing that stimulates Lena's interest, however, is the reading she does of the so-called sublime landscapes of the Baroque painter, Nicolas Poussin, especially his landscape cycle "The Four Seasons" (1660-1664). This article investigates the relationship between Lena's obsession with the past, the problems she is experiencing in adapting to the subtropical coastal landscape of Durban and the loss of creative focus and inspiration that she experiences as visual artist. Specific attention is given to the way in which Lena's reading of the so-called sublime landscape - and especially the pictorial and compositional aspects of Poussin's landscapes - eventually enables her to observe the surrounding landscape in a new way and to get a certain (artistic) grip on it. Finally, it is indicated that the picturesque principles suggested by Poussin's landscape cycle do not only afford Lena the visual apparatus to appreciate the surrounding Natal landscape, but also offer the reader of Viljoen's text certain artistic principles according to which the novel can be read and interpreted as sublime landscape. 

Opsomming

In Landskap met vroue en slang (1996) - die laaste roman wat ender Ingrid Winterbach se skuilnaam Lettie Viljoen gepubliseer is - verhuis die hoofkarakter, Lena Bergh, saam met haar man vanaf Stellenbosch na Durban. Gevolglik bevind sy haarself in 'n welige, subtropiese landskap wat haar nie as visuele kunstenaar aanspreek of inspireer nie. Vanwee haar psigiese onbehae, hunker sy na die gerusstellende bekendheid van die Wes-Kaapse landskap wat sy moes agterlaat. Sy raak tot so 'n mate met haar verlede in die Wes-Kaap behep dat sy nie in staat is om haar lewe - en rol as kunstenaar - in Durban met entoesiasme voort te sit nie. Lena se belangstelling word wel geprikkel deur die leeswerk wat sy oor die sogenaamde sub/ieme landskappe van die Barokskilder Nicolas Poussin, en veral sy landskap­siklus Die vier seisoene (1660-1664) doen. In die artikel word ondersoek ingestel na die verband tussen Lena se beheptheid met die verlede; die probleme wat sy ervaar om in die subtropiese kuslandskap van Durban aan te pas en die verlies aan kreatiewe fokus en skildersinspirasie wat sy ervaar. Aandag word veral gegee aan die wyse waarop Lena se interpretasie van die sogenaamde sublieme landskap - en veral die skilderagtige en komposisionele aspekte van Poussin se landskapskilderye - haar uiteindelik in staat stel om op 'n nuwe wyse na haar omringende ruimte te kyk en 'n bepaalde greep op die geilheid en oordaad daarvan te kry. Ten slotte word aangetoon dat die skilderagtige beginsels van Poussin se landskapsiklus nie net vir Lena voorsien van 'n visuele perspektief waarvolgens sy die omringende landskap kan waarneem nie, maar die leser van die roman ook toerus met bepaalde artistieke uitgangspunte aan die hand waarvan dit gelees en ge'interpreteer kan word as sublieme landskap.