Central Europe · 17th century
€ 460
One of a kind: this is the sheet in the photographs. Ships from Langweer, the Netherlands.
Fair condition but good impression on laid paper with visible plate mark and tight margins. Light toning and a few faint handling marks and wrinkles consistent with age. Folding line as issued.
Baroque Garden and Palace near Vienna – Antique Architectural Engraving, 1649
This is a beautifully detailed 17th-century engraving, depicting a formal Baroque garden layout in Vienna. The German title at the top reads:
“Eigentliche Delineatio des schönen Lusthauses und Gartens das Hengenbaw genant bey Wien gelegen. Wie solches im Jahr Christi 1649 gestanden.”
(Translation: “True depiction of the beautiful pleasure house and gardens called Hengenbaw near Vienna, as it stood in the year of Christ 1649.”)
A rare 17th-century architectural engraving showing the magnificent Baroque gardens and pleasure palace known as “Hengenbaw” near Vienna, as it appeared in 1649. The composition presents an aerial perspective of the palace and its elaborate formal gardens, complete with geometric parterres, fountains, orchards, water features, and ornamental tree alignments.
The engraving captures the highly structured garden design typical of early Baroque taste, emphasizing symmetry, control, and the interplay between architecture and nature. Each section of the estate is labeled with a key on the left margin, describing the fountains, ponds, walkways, orchards, and statuary. Swans and water birds animate the reflecting pools in the foreground, while the distant landscape suggests the vastness of the estate.
This print documents one of Vienna’s early pleasure gardens, reflecting the grandeur of aristocratic leisure during the Habsburg golden age. The intricate design parallels the contemporary developments at Schönbrunn and the Belvedere gardens that would later define Vienna’s architectural identity.
Such engravings served as both artistic records and design inspirations for architects and gardeners throughout Europe. The precision of the draughtsmanship and the elegance of the etched lines testify to the skill of mid-17th-century Viennese engravers.
A striking and decorative print for collectors of garden design, architectural history, or Austrian baroque art.
Condition:
Fair condition but good impression on laid paper with visible plate mark and tight margins. Light toning and a few faint handling marks and wrinkles consistent with age. Folding line as issued.
Framing tips:
Frame in dark walnut or black wood with a pale ivory mat to highlight the engraving’s strong linear detail. A gold fillet can add a refined Baroque touch.
