Gezicht vanuit vogelperspectief op de tuin van Kasteel Rosendael 1675 - 1711

This detailed print shows the garden of Rosendael Castle, but we don't know who made it or exactly when. It’s an engraving, a technique in which lines are cut into a metal plate, which is then inked and printed onto paper. Look closely, and you’ll see that the formal gardens are laid out with astonishing precision. The linear quality of the engraving is perfect for capturing the rigorous geometry of the garden, its hedges, pathways and fountains. It’s an ideal medium for showing the kind of control that wealthy landowners could exert over nature, bending it to their will. This wasn’t just an aesthetic statement. It took an army of gardeners to maintain such a space, representing a massive investment of labor. So, the next time you stroll through a formal garden, remember that beneath the beauty, there’s a whole history of work, class, and power embedded in the soil.