Representations of Natural Landscape and Staffage Persons Found on the Front Cover Picture of the “National park” Magazines

This paper examines varieties and changes of represented natural landscape since the early 20th century, by surveying front cover photo collections of the “National park” magazines. The setting inside the pictures (e.g. the placement of human figures in the landscape, the number of respective elements in the picture, and so on) is assumed to indicate the changing tastes of modern populace as to natural landscape. According to the relationship between constituent elements of staffage and natural landscape, 107 staffage-parson photographs were classified into 8 types. In comparison with nature of natural environment in the photo, appearance or disappearance of the type reflected perceptions of natural landscape. During the first half of the 20th century, the rich natural environment was the place where people enjoy modern recreation activities. Yet, in the following periods, the natural landscape meant something even rarer and maybe holier. Then, the very massiveness and grandeur of the landscape came to be emphasized. Yet again, now, after 1990s, it is thought that the concept of nature consists both of wilderness and man-made environment.