Esther M. Zimmer Lederberg
Salomon de Caus Gardens

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Villa Farnese, Caprarola
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Villa Farnese, Caprarola

Palaces were designed (not constructed) by architects like Alberti, possessing knowledge of Vitruvius, the Pythaogreans and their theories of harmonic harmony, and Platonic ideals. Alberti held the view that palace gardens were an aesthetic extension of Palace architecture. This is discussed at length in the area of architecture. However, the palace garden design was also in harmony with the kind of dances that took place in palace gardens. Renaissance gardens were compatible with Renaissance dance: both being a mix of symmetric linear and circular areas, including triangles, squares, etc. Baroque gardens were compatible with Baroque dance: "S", "Z" figures, arabesques, with parterres in broderie. The dances of these aristocrats emphasized proper "decorum", as described by Baldassare Castiglione. Such "decorum" was central to the political culture of the time. This is discussed at length in the area of dance. People such as Salomon de Caus and Inigo Jones not only designed (not contsructed) such politically and aesthetically informed gardens, they also included "trompe l'oeil" as well as auotmata in these gardens. This (linear perspective) is discussed at length in the area of art. Automata (machines) were commonly deployed in Baroque theatre, thus it should not come as a surprise to find automata in gardens! Baroque theatre machinery is dicussed at length in the section about Baroque theatre. Just as automata were deployed in theatres, so were automata designed and deployed in palace gardens.

Garden automata were powered by water wheels. These automata moved, and included fountains, revolving islands and statuary, subliminal musical instruments. True to the times, clocks were automata too. 1 Automata soon gave rise to a philosopher that viewed the universe as an automaton: a clockwork universe, with clockwork order supporting the state political and military viewpoint. (Armies marched and attacked in squares, dressed uniformly, following orders like automata, just as the commissioned officers were trained to do when taught dancing. This military dance was ordered by ordered music, too.) Military automata, including cavalry, are discussed at some length at the end of the section about dance.

Garden Ichnography (plan), Scenography (window), Orthography (elevation)
Hortus Palatinus Parterre, I
Hortus Palatinus Parterre, II
Garden Mount Parnassus with fountains and Pleasure Cave
Mount of Orpheus in Cave: Tames Animals with Music
Automaton: Orpheus Plays Flute while Female Automaton Rotates
Water wheel Powered Automaton Turns Island and Pool
Bird Automaton Powered by Water Wheel
Water Organ Automaton at Hortus Palatinus
Parterres
"Ha-ha"s
Espaliers

Further information may be found in the off page link (in red, returning by red link at the page bottom): click here.

1 Reilly, Kara; "Automata and Mimesis on The Stage of Theatre History", Palgrave Macmillan, 2011

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