Beeldengang in de tuin / Laan met begroeide bogen / Begroeide tuingalerijen / Boomgaard 1706 - 1719

This print by Isaac de Moucheron captures garden galleries and avenues, allées, that were fashionable in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. These images, with their archways of greenery, resonate deeply with our longing for an ordered, cultivated nature. The arch, adorned with foliage, is a potent symbol. Consider its echoes through history, from triumphal arches celebrating Roman emperors to the sacred arches framing religious icons. Here, the arch signifies not conquest or divinity, but the taming of nature—an attempt to impose human will on the wild. This motif appears again and again in garden design across the centuries. The controlled nature of the garden reflects a broader cultural desire for order and control. It invites us to consider the psychological motivations behind our impulse to reshape the natural world. This image is not merely a depiction of a garden, but an echo of our collective aspirations.