A Cultural History of Gardens in the Renaissance

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The history of the garden in the Renaissance, traced from the late fourteenth century in Italy to the death of Andr Le Ntre in 1700 in France, is a story both of dynamism and codification. The period saw the emergence of what would become archetypal elements of the formal garden and the fixing of theory and language of the garden arts. At the same time, newly important sciences, developments in engineering, as well as globalization, historicity, and theories of aesthetics were embraced in the construction of such gardens. The result was the notion of the landscape as something to be labored on, created, and delighted in, that ultimately would become a stage upon which Renaissance cultural politics played out. A Cultural History of Gardens in the Renaissance presents an overview of the period with essays on issues of design, types of gardens, planting, use and reception, issues of meaning, verbal and visual representation of gardens, and the relationship of gardens to the larger landscape.

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An exciting and unusual approach to a perhaps undervalued aspect of history . . . [that] usefully fills a niche area of research and study. [A Cultural History of Gardens] provides an important and fascinating insight through thought-provoking essays and will be of value to anyone with an interest in the history of the garden . . . [and] the development of human society in general. -- Louise Ellis-Barrett, St. John's School, Leatherhead, UK * Reference Reviews, vol. 28 *

Author Bio

Elizabeth Hyde is Assistant Professor of History at Kean University, and is the author of Cultivated Power: Flowers, Culture and Politics in the Reign of Louis XIV.