Tuin met vier door gangen van traliewerk omgeven parterres 1615

This anonymous engraving depicts a garden with four parterres enclosed by trellis walkways. The garden, a space of cultivated nature, has long been laden with symbolism. Here, the careful arrangement of plants mirrors the human desire to impose order on the natural world. The enclosed space, with its labyrinthine paths, reminds me of the Garden of Love in medieval allegories, a space of courtship and hidden meanings. Think also of the hortus conclusus, the enclosed garden representing purity and spiritual retreat, often depicted in paintings of the Virgin Mary. This garden is a stage for human dramas. It speaks of our relationship with nature. The ordered garden reflects humanity’s attempt to control and perfect the world around us. The garden is a powerful force engaging viewers on a deep, subconscious level through its visual structure. We see a cyclical progression where the symbols have resurfaced, evolved, and taken on new meanings in different historical contexts.