Many artists, including musicians, visual artists, and writers, explore aspects of nature in their work. On this page, we have gathered a few examples of works of art that relate to animals, plants, or natural landscapes. For each artwork, a link has been provided that will take you to the Museum’s online collection, where you can find more information about the artwork and view larger, high-resolution images. There are many other artworks on view at the Museum and in the SLAM online collection that connect with nature. See if you can find a few other examples on your own!
Let's Explore!
These prompts can be used with any of the artworks below. Feel free to write, draw, or share answers with classmates, friends, colleagues, or others.
Look closely at each work of art.
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What do you see going on in the work of art? What do you see that makes you say that?
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What more can you find?
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Spend some time drawing what you see in the artwork. What more do you discover as you draw?
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What words come to mind as you look at the artwork? These might be descriptive words or words connected to feelings that you experience as you look. Choose one word. Let that word be a starting point of a story for this artwork. Write, draw, or share your story in another way.
Neuf Series
Hock E Aye Vi Edgar Heap of Birds, Cheyenne and Arapaho Nations, born 1954; Neuf Series, 1995; acrylic on canvas; 80 x 107 inches; Saint Louis Art Museum, Museum Minority Artists Purchase Fund 13:1996; © Hock E Aye Vi Edgar Heap of Birds
Water Lilies
Claude Monet, French, 1840–1926; Water Lilies, c.1915–1926; oil on canvas; 78 3/4 inches x 13 feet 11 3/4 inches; Saint Louis Art Museum, The Steinberg Charitable Fund 134:1956
Helmet Mask
Bagam artist; Helmet Mask, early 20th century; wood, pigment; 31 1/2 x 11 7/16 x 7 1/16 inches; Saint Louis Art Museum, Gift of Dr. and Mrs. Gaston Bouquett 511:1979
Murnau with Locomotive
Vassily Kandinsky, Russian (active Germany), 1866–1944; Murnau with Locomotive, 1911; oil on canvas; 37 3/4 x 41 1/8 inches; Saint Louis Art Museum, Bequest of Morton D. May by exchange 142:1986
Dish with Handle in the Form of a Bird
Inka; Dish with Handle in the Form of a Bird, 1476–1534; ceramic with pigment; 2 3/4 inches, diameter of bowl with effigy head: 9 5/16 inches, diameter of bowl only: 7 1/4 inches; Saint Louis Art Museum, Gift of Mrs. John R. Green 64:1959
Loch Lomond
Gustave Doré, French, 1832–1883; Loch Lomond, 1875; oil on canvas; 48 x 75 inches; Saint Louis Art Museum, Museum Purchase 88:1913
Confluence
Masayuki Nagare, Japanese, 1923–2018; Confluence, 1964–1965; black granite; 32 x 64 x 36 3/4 inches, weight: 1,100 pounds, weight (base): 2,540 pounds; Saint Louis Art Museum, Gift of Howard F. Baer in honor of his wife, Isabel Baer 16:1964