Narcissus cascade in de tuin van Paleis Het Loo 1689 - 1702

Laurens Scherm created this print, "Narcissus cascade in de tuin van Paleis Het Loo", capturing the cascade as a performance of power and mythological narrative. Scherm, working in the late 17th century, was deeply embedded in a society where royal image and classical allegories intertwined. Here, we see the story of Narcissus, a figure of classical myth, rendered in the formal gardens of a royal palace. Narcissus, known for his beauty, was cursed to fall in love with his own reflection. The original tale is one of tragic self-obsession, but within the context of royal gardens, how might this narrative shift? The palace gardens were carefully designed spaces, meant to display control over nature and, by extension, dominion over society. The inclusion of onlookers, dressed in the fashion of the time, adds another layer. Are they merely witnessing a scene, or are they implicated in the performance of power and beauty? The cascade becomes a stage, where identity, myth, and social hierarchy converge. This print invites us to consider how spaces and stories can be manipulated to reflect and reinforce societal structures.