Balthasar Nebot - Gardens of Hartwell House, Aylesbury - 7/8

One of a series of eight paintings by Balthasar Nebot (active 1729-1765) showing the spectacular garden landscape of Hartwell House, just outside Aylesbury, in 1738. The dominant feature of this painting is the extraordinary topiary exhedra, an amazing structure created by carefully training and clipping evergreens to form pieces of green architecture. It is believed to have been without parallel at the time. In the centre is possibly Frederick, Prince of Wales, with Sir Thomas Lee to the left. The formal green architecture of topiary hedges, with classical stone temples and statues of gods and goddesses, was balanced by informal views towards the town. Sir Thomas Lee (1687-1749) of Hartwell commissioned the painting from Nebot, a little-known Spanish painter, based in Covent Garden. They provide a unique record of a country estate and garden landscape at this time. The people of Hartwell - family, visitors, household and estate staff and, especially the gardeners - are also portrayed in great detail

1730s 1738 Aylesbury Balthasar Evergreens Extraordinary Gardener Gardeners Hartwell Hedges Landscaped Nebot Topiary

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