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Jean-Honoré Fragonard’s Terrace and Garden of an Italian Villa (c. 1762–1763)
Inspirations GREAT GARDENS IN GREAT ART
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By Janice F. Booth ith the holiday events whirling around us like colored lights from a sparkler, I thought I might offer you inspirations to ease your mind, gifts for your eyes and spirit—images of gardens in beautiful art and paintings of lush flowers in gardens, bowls, vases. These glowing canvases may sooth your spirit and maybe inspire you to create a Monet or Pissarro garden of your own.
Perhaps you haven’t considered a cut-flowers garden; the Flemish and Dutch Masters’ creations of exuberant bouquets may capture your imagination. Or perhaps you’ll simply enjoy contemplating these glorious works of art.
We are fortunate to live in close proximity to renowned art collections in Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York City, where beautiful paintings of gardens and flower-filled
vases reside in hushed galleries. But for our purpose, I will invite you into the quiet, gorgeous gardens and flowers at the National Gallery of Art in Washington (nga.gov). Since my goal is to delight and refresh your spirits, I will offer my gift in two forms—you may want to try both. I will share with you a selection of paintings that are on exhibit now, which you can actually view in person. It might be fun, as a pre-holiday event, to gather a group of fellow gardeners and make the trip to the National Gallery. What a surprise to invite friends and family to visit painted gardens in December and January. However, if your commitments and responsibilities are such that you have no time to escape to the marble halls and muted galleries, do not worry. Every painting in my garden tour is available for viewing online. And, I will include an additional selection of great works of art that are not on display, but available on the National Gallery’s web site for viewing online.
Where to begin? whatsupmag.com | December 2021 | What’s Up? Eastern Shore
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