Tuinvaas en fontein after 1724

Georg Lichtensteger created this print of a garden vase and fountain in the eighteenth century. It embodies the refined tastes of the period and points to the public role of art in shaping social values. The image conjures meaning through visual codes typical of garden design at the time. This was an era when landscape was being reshaped by new money, and country estates served as stages for displays of wealth and power. Fountains, like this one, were a popular way to show off technological prowess and financial muscle, and these types of prints served as aspirational catalogs for landscape architects and their patrons. The vase, decorated with garlands and topped with a mythological beast, speaks to a fascination with classical antiquity, aligning the owner with the cultural sophistication of past empires. Understanding this print requires us to investigate not just its aesthetic qualities, but also the social conditions that shaped its creation and reception. By consulting historical archives, garden plans, and estate records, we can better grasp the complex interplay between art, class, and social ambition.