Kabinet in de tuin van Huis ter Meer te Maarssen c. 1740

Hendrik de Leth’s etching presents a serene view into the garden of Huis ter Meer, spotlighting a classical architectural structure known as a 'cabinet'. These cabinets, often adorned with sculptures and busts, served as symbolic gateways to realms of knowledge and contemplation. Notice the deliberate arrangement of garden elements; symmetrical patterns and sculpted greenery evoke a sense of harmony and control over nature, reflecting the Enlightenment's ideals of order and reason. Consider how similar motifs, such as the enclosed garden or courtyard, appear in diverse cultural contexts, from medieval cloister gardens representing spiritual purity to the Persian paradise gardens symbolizing earthly and divine union. Here, in Leth’s rendering, the garden becomes a stage, and the figures enact a dance of social ritual, their presence underscoring the psychological comfort derived from structured space and cultivated beauty.