Renaissance Culture and Gardens

          The Italian Renaissance was known for “rediscovering” ancient Roman and Greek arts. The Renaissance emulated the ancient paintings, sculptures, architecture, gardens, and many other forms. The artists of this era were enthralled with the idea of beauty as it was in the old times, as well as expression of self and God. It was impossible to walk the streets of Italian cities without seeing ancient influences and structures, and so the material to study was present (http://italianrenaissanceresources.com/units/unit-7/essays/rise-fall-and-resurrection-of-ancient-rome/). Similarities between ancient Roman art and architecture can be seen throughout Renaissance gardens across Italy. Their sculptures and water features imitate the Romans’ to a great degree. As in the ancient times, sculpture and architecture were combined with garden ornamentation to create a more peaceful, calming and meditative effect for those who visited the garden. The garden features of the two times are strikingly similar. 

(Roman Columns http://greenglobaltravel.com/wp-content/uploads/IMG_9484.jpg)

(Renaissance Columns http://www.yairkarelic.com/Albums/Tivoli_villa_deste/slides/IMG_3947.jpg) 

(Roman Garden Sculpture https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3351/3495569801_02922795de_z.jpg)

(Renaissance Garden Sculpture http://rengarden.com/wp-content/gallery/statuary-sculpture/Four-Seasons-Statues.jpg)
          Here, you can see the similarities between the two different eras, even if they have been separated by the immensely long medieval times. There are structures set up in each garden to create a more enriching leisure experience, and to allow a greater time of Otium for both the Roman and the Renaissance visitors. The columnar form (in the example above, Ionic) has been taken directly from the Roman times and copied to the Renaissance, with a bit of artistic and personal flair. Their sculpture style has even been taken from the Greeks and Romans, which creates a similar appearance as far as ornamentation is concerned.

          Another thought process coming out of the Renaissance was the idea of Humanism. While there were still very many connections with God, the Humanists were exploring the natural world in a way to get closer to God. This exploration led to experimentation in all art forms, especially garden art because it was so closely tied to nature. The Humanist movement in art focused on humans living in this life, not the next. They wondered why they were not able to have all that is beautiful now, instead of only in the afterlife. So they started creating and building, making life grander. For example, the Villa D’Este was the home of a man craving the papacy. While unable to achieve it, he did have immense wealth, and wanted to demonstrate it. He created an awe inspiring garden to show that wealth, and create an environment for him and guests to enjoy in this lifetime, with all of the embellishments. Life was about creating beauty and enjoying that beauty. This was how the Romans enjoyed life, and that is how the citizens of the Renaissance wanted to enjoy life as well. 

(http://pictur.net/gallery/albums/Rome_Tivoli/Villa_d_Este_23.jpg)

Religious Meaning in Roman, Medieval, and Muslim Gardens

                Religion was a major contributing factor in the construction of gardens during the Empire and beyond. Christianity was becoming deeply entrenched across the nations, and so was Islam. Over time, three distinct types of gardens grew apart: the Roman style, the mediaeval style, and the Muslim style. Each style focuses differently on the religion that was prominent in the area, and has different elements that allow different forms of worship within the garden.

                The roman garden was very ornamental, large, and luxurious. The garden was a place of inspiration for the Romans. They participated in what is called Otium, which is supposed to be a constructive leisure time. They could be constructive through meditation, philosophy, and even reflection on the Gods and their own religion. With such beautiful gardens surrounding them, they could be inspired to form creative and original thoughts to establish themselves with the Gods.

(http://blogs.getty.edu/iris/files/2010/10/villa_outer_peristyle.jpg) This garden was very dedicated to the Gods, very deliberately. One piece of evidence of this was the herm statues that were studded around the garden landscape. They were there to create a blessing from that God and to inspire peace, happiness, and creativity.

(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6f/Herma_Dionysos_Getty_Villa_79.AB.138.jpg)

                Medieval garden was small and enclosed. When made under the aristocracy, it was oftentimes placed far into the corner of a castle for those living in the castle to enjoy. It was very much an isolated place, far from the noises, smells, and sights of the castle life. It was a humble sanctuary.

(http://www.peartree-miniatures.co.uk/topics/gardens/medgarden01.jpg) This was a place for meditation and a place to reflect on one’s own life. You could have the silence, the isolation, and the time to consider your relationship to God. The plants in the garden were not particularly ornamental or ‘showy’ nor did they have many statues or paintings dedicated to God in the gardens. The plants that they did have were scented in the medieval gardens to mask the smell coming from the castle.

                It would appear that the appeal of the Muslim garden is in the creation of it, as well as the symbolism. There were many elements that were significant in the production of the garden that were important for worshiping God. For example, incorporating a central water source with four ‘rivers’ spreading from it signifies the four rivers of Eden in the Qur’an.

(http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/61195.jpg) It appears as if the connection to God in this garden form was not the reflection so much, but the tribute. It was made in reflection of God’s beauty, and was also a tribute to the symbolism of religious texts. For more symbolism on gardens in religious connotations (more Christian relations) please see this short analysis: http://www.symbolism.org/writing/books/sp/3/page3.html

Pervasive Interest of Gardens in Europe

                Since the dawn of mankind, humans have been growing more and more organized, staving off the forces that pull us apart, and fighting back. We started with the formation of groups and clans to protect ourselves from the dangers of our ancestors, and continued on to hunting and gathering food. Eventually, societies moved toward cultivating their own crops, and so gardening took roots in the history of humankind. It was a method of taking away the task of gathering food and bringing the natural world to them. This early cultivation was a way for us to tame nature and bend it to our own will.

                Gardening in Europe has become so popular because it displays the power of mankind over the unknown wilderness. What we once feared, we now seek to control. Use of control for human purposes can be seen in many examples of garden elements (http://www.shadefxcanopies.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/chinese-jasmin-vine-pergola.jpg). The pergola can be put in place to guide the growth of vines. With this element, the vines follow the lead of human intent, and are used to create shade for our own purposes. It raises humans to a subtle position of power over nature through a cruel and ironic joke.

                   Gardening aims to organize that which should not be in order. Human fascination with the ordering of natural elements can be found in gardens across the world. Gaining fame in the ‘Arts and Crafts’ period of garden art, designers and gardeners organized flowers by colors and textures to make patterns(http://www.jsllandscape.com/images/spiral%20colorful%20flower%20garden.jpg). It can also be seen in the shaping of hedges to form topiaries. Men take the natural and wild form of the tree and transform it into something pleasing to them (http://fortikur.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Beautiful-Design-of-Small-Garden-Pics-with-Topiary.jpg). They seek to tame what is often thought of as uncontrollable.

                   The European interest in gardening can be traced back to the power struggle between man and nature. Now that humans have the ability to fight back the wilds, we choose to do more than just that. We make the wilderness our pet, domesticate it, and dress it up. Over time, the human race has learned to flaunt their ability to control the natural world around them, and display it for all those around them.