Gardens as Stages for Recreation, Prestige, and Fantasies

With 106 sets of items from the collections of the Palace Museum, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Palace of Versailles and the Hong Kong Museum of Art, we could open a garden dialogue that transcends culture and time into five major genres. They take us on a threefold journey of landscaping: by exploring the overall vision of garden owners, the graceful poise and dynamic movements of garden visitors, and the interpretations and creations by artists and craftsmen.

Court Scheme (宮廷風) - Gardens as stages for prestige and power

Construction of arcadia-like gardens has reflected the paradise since ancient times. In China, the palace layout of “one pool and three mountains (一池三山)” emulates the 3 sacred mountains of Penglai (蓬萊), Fangzhang (方丈) and Yingzhou (瀛洲) by the Eastern Sea. Western gardens originated from Egypt, Persia and Ancient Greece. The Greek garden design was the blueprint for Europe, including its symmetrical geometric layout and symbolic statues of mythical figures.

As a result of cultural exchanges, the royal gardens of Qing synthesised elements of gardens from previous dynasties, and blended Eastern and Western aesthetics. It adopted the Western perspective to depict Xianglou (西洋樓), a group of European-style palaces constructed by Jesuit and Chinese artisans, as well as a maze of yellow blossoms (黃花陣) in a European garden.

Anonymous, European-style Palaces in Yuanming Yuan, 1644-1911

Refined Luxury (輕奢風) - Gardens as subtle statements of distinguished style and class

Gardens in Lingnan were full of detailed layouts and lavish ornamentation, such as carved beams and painted columns, and the extensive use of wood and brick carving. Western decorations like stained glass windows were incorporated, reflecting the owners' desire to display wealth and status. In the Renaissance, gardens were designed to follow the natural contours of mountains. No expense was spared to acquire exotic plants, as a manifestation of personal power and taste.

Giovanni Battista Piranesi, Villa Pamphili outside Porta S. Pancrazio, 1776

The ponds provided cool relief in the hot climate, inviting visitors to cool off and engage in various activities. Ornate winding corridors and openwork railings provided a well-ventilated environment. Potted plants were positioned on the balustrades around the ponds. Looking down at the pond produced amusing reflections, while looking up revealed old trees standing tall.

Poontingua's Garden at Puntong, Guangzhou, Guan Lianchang, Mid-19th century

Simplistic Charm (清雅風) - Cultivating cultural literacy through garden scenery

Literati gardens gained prominence, often featuring names of specific scenes and couplets, and growing plants that elegantly expressed aspirations and eremitism. Another special feature was landscaping hills and ponds to allow nature appreciation from multiple perspectives. In the Italian Renaissance, landscaping focused on connecting with nature. Garden designers also favoured symmetry and order, arranging trellises, hedges and flowerbeds in geometric patterns.

Yu Zhiding, Thatched Hall at Huangshan, 1702

Expressive Character (寫意風) - Garden as a place where creativity takes flight

Influenced by Chinese aesthetics, English landscape gardens in the 18th century leaned towards naturalistic free-form layouts. In the 19th century, Europe saw a massive influx of woodblock prints from Japan, which inspired creative garden designs and landscaping ideas for artists. In the 20th century, Chinese gardens crossed the seas to establish a presence abroad. Chinese plants were introduced to foreign lands, allowing creative flexibility and stylish landscaping.

While living in Giverny, France, this Impressionist master spent effort to create a water garden, cultivating a wide range of flowering plants and trees that were a feast for the eyes. He painted the ukiyo-e-inspired Japanese arched bridge dark green to help it blend into the background, forming complementary colours with reflections on the water surface. A complete harmony.

Claude Monet, Water Lily Pond, 1900

Albert André, Claude Monet, 1922

Monet's water garden provided endless inspiration for his art in his senior years. This painting blurs the dear division between the water and land around the pond, focusing instead on aquatic plants and the reflections of the sky and trees on the water, offering “life and movement”. One can imagine the garden scenery along the unseen shore while appreciating the flowers.

Claude Monet, Water Lilies, 1906

Amusement Vibe (玩味風) - Gardens as theatres for fantasies and surprises

Chinese gardens used water landscaping to evoke a sense of tranquillity and transcendence, using agglomerated rocks to create spectacular sights. Rockery hills and miniature landscapes adorned garden spaces. Italian gardens in the Renaissance reproduced mythological scenes with hydraulic services. For example, Baroque gardens of the 17th century featured whimsical grottos and fountains performing water tricks to produce theatrical effects and to make tours more amusing.

Grottos were ideal places to escape the summer heat, reflect in solitude or hold private meetings. In the Villa Pratolino, statues of Greek mythology gods Pan and Fame were positioned at each end of the grotto for decoration. Automata and state-of-the-art technologies were used to amplify the dramatic effect of a scene from ancient mythology. A unique design of Italian gardens.

Stefano della Bella, The Grotto of Pan and Fame, 1653-1655

Orazio Mochi, Saccomazzone Players, ca. 1621

The Water Theatre at the Palace of Versailles was inspired by the Olympic Theatre (Teatro Olimpico) in Vicenza, Italy. Four fountains on the stage were arranged alternately with three cascading corridors, separated from the audience by a row of fountains. The audience could enjoy a spectacular fountains and waterjet show from seats overlooking the stage.

Anonymous, The Water Theatre, 1701-1750

Louis-Jean Desprez, View of the Grotta di Palazzo with Banquet, ca. 1790

The amphitheatre in Boboli Gardens, in Florence, was designed by architect Giulio Parigi, built with six tiers of stone seating radiating outward, housing 20,000 spectators at the same time. In 1661, to celebrate the wedding of Cosimo Ill de' Medici and Marguerite-Louise d'Orléans, the French Princess, a spectacular equestrian pageant of drama and dressage was staged here.

Stefano della Bella, Equestrian Ballet in the Amphitheater of the Boboli Gardens, 1661

Gardens embody our aspiration for the ideal life, and serve as vital spaces for interaction between people and nature. Connecting with nature becomes trendy for city dwellers. We find joy in walking in scenic woods, growing indoor plants and engaging in urban farming. Through immersing ourselves into these historical gardens, we could set aside our racing thoughts, as well as explore the aesthetics and philosophy at play to inform our vision of the ideal garden.

Title: Blooming: The Art of Gardens in East and West (園美生活──中外園林藝術)

Date: 24 April 2026 to 29 July 2026

Location: Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong

Organiser: The Palace Museum in partnership with the Art Institute of Chicago