From the grandeur of the hanging gardens of Babylon, to the glory of Monet’s garden at Giverny, from the landscapes of Capability Brown to the flowers of Van Gogh, we will examine the fascinating history of gardens shown in art. Topics will include: The garden as paradise in the ancient world. The “Hortus conclusus” (enclosed garden) in medieval paintings. 17th century stately homes and gardens. 18th century landscape gardening. The emergence of the private garden in the 19th century. The 20th century gardens towns and suburbs. The topics will be illustrated with pictures and videos.
Course aim
Follow the historical development of gardens from ancient times to the modern day, as it is portrayed in art. You will have the opportunity to learn about all the major the movements such as the landscape gardening and the private garden in 19th C.
Do I need any particular skills or experience?
- This course is for beginners and improvers
By the end of the course I should be able to:
- Be better acquainted with the artists who graphically portrayed the flower garden in their work: Renoir, Cezanne, Pissarro, Manet, Sargent, Kandinsky, Van Gogh, Matisse, Klimt, Klee and other less known names.
- Be better acquainted with the lesser known artists who portrayed the flower garden, including the often over-looked women such Berthe Morisot, Mary Cassat, marie Braquemond, Frances Hodgkins and Winifred Nicholson.
- Have knowledge of English Landscape Gardens: Nicholas Hawksmoor. Sir John Vanbrugh. William Kent. Capability Brown. Humphry Repton. The Chinese and Japanese influences. The Gothic revival influence on English gardens. Characteristics of the English garden. The English influence.
- Have a better understanding of theories of gardening such as the "Picturesque" and the "Gardenesque"
- Be better acquainted with Mythological gardens and landscapes and "Hortus Conclusus" – the Enclosed Garden - from the medieval period
What else do I need to know?
The course is self contained and there is no assumption that you already have knowledge of the topics and periods covered. However, it is recommended that you do preliminary reading on any of the topics and periods mentioned in the course description or Learning Outcomes.
View full course information sheet
Gardens in Art: From the Hanging Gardens of Babylon to Monet's garden at Giverny
