Gezicht op een prieel van latwerk in een park 1745 - 1749

This is a drawing by Nicolas Pérignon made with pen in gray and watercolor. The symmetrical composition immediately strikes the eye, dividing the scene into balanced halves that converge towards a central gazebo. The formal garden is rendered with controlled lines and soft washes of green and blue. This formal approach reflects the Enlightenment's emphasis on order and reason, mirroring the period’s broader cultural project of imposing structure onto the natural world. The precise arrangement of trees, paths, and water features signifies a controlled dialogue between nature and artifice. Semiotically, the garden can be interpreted as a structured language: paths as lines of syntax, trees and hedges as punctuation, and water features as reflective pauses. Each element is placed to guide the viewer’s experience. The drawing invites us to consider how such constructed spaces embody and communicate power and ideology. The garden is more than just a visually pleasing arrangement; it is a statement of control and a framework for social interaction.