Man vs. nature could characterize the
Italian renaissance gardens. This common
tug and harmony between the two creates a unique type of garden, one that
utilizes the earth to its fullest. Garden
art and nature are often viewed blurred together because it is manipulation of
nature without changing the raw material; it is considered one with nature. Jacopo
Bonfadio says “a third nature” would mesh together art and nature where they
improve each other no matter what order they are manipulated in. This is a concept that exists in the every
day life of the people during the Italian renaissance.
The
Italians had a very specific way they liked to organize their gardens, a “divine
order”. The owner should be able to look
and admire from the villa and at the villa; therefore the villa will be raised
above the garden. The gardens had a lot
of symmetry and proportion, while framing the villas; this can also be referred
to as axial alignment. Early Italian
renaissance gardens were made for thought and pleasure. When the Medici came into ruling they used
the garden to show their power and rule. Some key features of the Italian renaissance
garden its terraces, a pergola, a water organ, and a fountain. During this time
a large step was taken in the direction of having more high tech features and
an example of this is the water organ, which played noises similar to the song
of birds through water pressure. The focus is on the way plants are planted,
location, color, height; it determines how one experiences a garden. Some plants and sculptures are even used as
status symbols and messages. The Italian Renaissance gardens purpose is to show
the beauty of nature and inspired many of the gardens that came after it.
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