Ruins, landscapes, and the time of memory are the three major components of the thesis context. Classified into three categories, ruins include ruinated structure, ruinated landscaped, and the psychology of ruination. For landscapes, the thesis attempts to analyze the formation and context of landscape paintings, along with the relations between humans and Nature. As for the time of memory, the thesis centers on the memory and time presented in art works, which insinuated further discussion on the images of ruins and landscapes. Thus, the thesis tends to probe the inner character of the artist’s world view with the focus on landscape paintings that present the declining image of the outer world.

The nature of ruins, constituted by dilapidation, memory, and time, have comprised the artist’s painting course.

Ruins involved the development of humanity. Ruinated landscapes not only present the evolvement of men-nature relation but also symbolize the artist’s attempt to look back upon the realm of the past. However, with the considerable depiction of wastelands and ruination, the ruination depicted in the art works seem to lead the viewers onto a depressing path. Are ruins a representation of definite death or the essential process of rebirth? Deriving from the works of three artists, Anselm Kiefer, Francesca Woodman, and Peter Doig, the thesis discusses the relations between ruinated images and works with the theoretical concepts provided by Gaston Bachelard, Walter Benjamin, Julia Kristeva,Charles BaudelaireCharles Baudelaire, Henri Bergson, and many other writers.

Finally, with the analysis of work forms and the changes of artistic background and techniques, the thesis attempts to analyze the ways and reasons that caused the changes. Also, the thesis discusses the different substantial, natural, and mental images represented by ruins, landscapes, and memory with the purpose to analyze the visual presentation of art works and its causes.