French Heritage Society Lecture on French Classical Gardens
On June 29, Christian Duvernois spoke at the French Heritage Society in New York about the historical significance of the French Classical gardens of the 17th century and their set of design principles which still inform geometric planning in modern landscape architecture today.
Decrypting the art of LeNotre, and his careful applications of perspective and anamorphosis in the landscape, coupled with referencing gardens such as Versailles and Château de Marly, Christian described how the underlying rules of these classical gardens were employed to create a realm of optical illusion. This added to the beauty and grandeur of these spaces, while also providing a degree of privacy for residents and visitors through series of meticulously designed and maintained parterres and knot gardens.
Other great examples of estates that have been directly inspired by the French Classical style, include Peter the Great, Ludwig II of Bavaria residences, and even America’s very own Thomas Jefferson. Visit Christian Duvernois Landscape/ Gallery’s Secret Garden and Arrival Court projects to see the influence of the French Classical typology in a modern setting.
