Paneel met tuinvaas en in de hoeken monogrammen 1690 - 1710

This is Gerrit Visscher’s ‘Panel with garden vase and monograms in the corners’ made using engraving techniques. The print shows a symmetrical, ornate garden vase mounted on a pedestal, framed within a border that includes decorative motifs and monograms in each corner. During the early modern period, the rise of garden culture reflected a growing interest in nature, pleasure, and status among the elite. Visscher’s work illustrates how the aesthetic design of gardens and their ornaments—like this vase—were carefully controlled to project ideals of beauty, order, and wealth. The inclusion of monograms suggests a personal connection, perhaps designed for a specific family or estate, subtly reinforcing notions of identity and legacy. Consider how the precise, almost architectural detail of the engraving style speaks to the values of control and refinement that defined elite culture in the era. It invites us to reflect on how objects of art, even those intended for leisure, are deeply embedded in social and personal narratives.