Tuin met vier door gangen van traliewerk omgeven parterres c. 1583 - 1640

This print, “Tuin met vier door gangen van traliewerk omgeven parterres,” was made by an anonymous artist using etching and engraving. These printing processes are closely associated with the spread of knowledge, from botanical illustrations to architectural plans. Here, we see that application to the design of a garden, but it is more than just a neutral record. The fineness of the engraved line speaks to the intricacy of the garden itself, which is highly formal, organized around strict geometric patterns. Note the way the image is constructed to suggest the depth of the space. It is a celebration of control – control over nature, to be sure, and also over the labor required to maintain such a place. This image is compelling because it is a design, a representation, of something that would have taken considerable work to realize in physical form. Though we don’t know who made this print, it is fair to say that the artist has drawn attention to the social relations embedded in the landscape itself.