Gezicht op de tuinen van het Palais-Royal 1650

Israel Silvestre created this print depicting the gardens of the Palais-Royal in Paris. Here we see a bird’s eye view of the gardens including a miniature fort, all constructed in 1650. The print gives a clear sense of the way gardens like these performed a social function. The nobility are shown enjoying leisure activities, riding horses, and generally promenading and being seen. These gardens were commissioned by Cardinal Richelieu, and they project a vision of power through displays of classical order and manicured nature. This was a time when the politics of absolutism were expressed through such symbols of control. As an art historian, further research would involve delving into archival records of garden designs, estate accounts, and social chronicles to fully appreciate how the Palais-Royal gardens fit within the cultural politics of seventeenth-century France. The image offers a glimpse into the social structures of its time, subtly reinforcing aristocratic privilege.