Introduction & Hallway

INTRODUCTION

The gardens of the Baroque era are a mirror of Baroque society – they served the pleasures of the social élites but were also a means of demonstrating power and wealth.

“Gardening for pleasure”, a luxurious hobby for aristocrats, was associated with enormous effort and expense. There was great rivalry in hiring the best garden architects, artists and engineers. The upkeep required armies of gardeners and day labourers.

The synthesis of the arts of the Baroque garden combines sciences such as geometry and botany with a sensibility for aesthetics and order. It is a perfect interplay of nature and architecture – and is an experience for all the senses.

No wonder the art of perfect order experienced in Baroque artistic horticulture still casts its magic spell on us even today.

Plant pot

Faience, 18th century

Graf Harrach’sche Familiensammlung

Hallway

Wall motifs from the Bergl Rooms in Schloss Schönbrunn

Schloß Schönbrunn Kultur- und Betriebsges.m.b.H. / photo: Alexander Eugen Koller

Design for a chestnut avenue in the Grand Parterre of Schönbrunn

pen and wash drawing, Joseph Hätzl (attributed), c. 1746–1750 (reproduction)

ALBERTINA, Wien, Inv.Nr. AZ9611

Ambulatory variants

From: Antoine-Joseph Dezallier d’Argenville, La theorie et la pratique du jardinage, Paris, 1713, pp. 62–63 (reproduction)

Private Collection

Connection techniques for trelliswork

From: André Jacob Roubo, L’art du treillageur, ou menuiserie des jardins (4th volume of the series L’Art du Menuisier), 1775, plate 354 (reproduction)

The Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles, Inv.Nr. gri_33125009321619

Illustrations of arch forms constructed from plant growth

From: Louis Liger, La Nouvelle Maison Rustique, Paris, 1755, volume II, p. 372 (reproduction)

Schloß Schönbrunn Kultur- und Betriebsges.m.b.H., Inv.Nr. Lit59364

Treillage variants (constructions of trelliswork)

Antoine-Joseph Dezallier d’Argenville, La theorie et la pratique du jardinage, Paris, 1713, pp. 90–91 (reproduction)

Private Collection

Variants of timber pavilions

From: Louis Liger, Le nouveau theatre d’agriculture et menage des champs, Paris, 1723 (reproduction)

Private Collection