View of a Garden with a Water Basin and Large Fountain, Title Page from: Grottes et fontaines de jardins à l'italienne 1618 - 1682

Jean Le Pautre created this print, *View of a Garden with a Water Basin and Large Fountain,* in Paris. He used the intaglio technique of engraving, cutting lines into a copper plate. Ink was then applied, and the image transferred to paper through a press. Engraving was a skilled, laborious process. The artist meticulously translated the three-dimensional world into a network of lines, varying their thickness and density to create tonal range and a sense of depth. This print showcases Le Pautre's skill in rendering the textures of the fountain, the foliage, and the architectural details of the garden. It also reveals the geometry of the garden, which imposed an absolute order onto nature. The print not only celebrates the garden's beauty but also speaks to the power and wealth required to construct and maintain such elaborate displays, with its carefully constructed artifice. By focusing on the materials, making, and social context of this print, we appreciate how it bridges art, craft, and the dynamics of power.