Jefferson's fine arts library his selections for the University of Virginia, together with his own architectural books |
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 | Jefferson's fine arts library |  |
37. Dezallier d'Argentville, Antoine Joseph.
THE / THEORY and PRACTICE / OF / GARDENING: / Wherein
is fully handled / All that relates to Fine Gardens, / COMMONLY
CALLED / PLEASURE-GARDENS, / Consisting of / Parterres,
Groves, Bowling-greens, &c. / CONTAINING / Several Plans, and
general Dispositions of Gardens, New Designs / of Parterres, Groves,
Grass-plots, Mazes, Banqueting-Rooms, Galleries, / Portico's, and
Summer-houses of Arbour-work, Terrasses, Stairs, Fountains, / Cascades,
and other Ornaments of use in the Decoration and Embelish-/
ment of Gardens. / WITH / The Manner of making the Ground, forming
Designs suitable to the Place, / and putting them in Execution, according
to the Principles of Geometry. / The Method of Setting and
Raising in little time, all the Plants requisite in fine Gardens: / Also
the Way to find Water, to convey it into Gardens, and to make Basons
and Fountains / for the same. / Together with Remarks and General
Rules in all that concerns the Art of / GARDENING. / By Le Sieur
Alexander Le Blond. / Done from the late Edition printed at Paris, /
By JOHN JAMES of Greenwich. / The Second Edition. / With very
large Additions, and a new TREATISE of Flowers / and OrangeTrees.
/ LONDON: / Printed for Bernard Lintot, at the Cross-Keys,
between the / Temple-Gates, in Fleet-street. 1728.
4to. Title page in two colors ([i]); table of contents (ii-vii, with ii-iv
missing, and v-vi partially torn away); advice to the binder and errata
(1 unnumbered p.); text (1-297); index (6 leaves); 24 engravings (of
a total of 38; 14 have been cut or torn out), all folding.
The engraver signs himself "Ver. Gucht." He might have been Michael
van der Gucht (1660-1725) or either of his sons, Gerard (1696-1776)
or Jan, or John (1697-1776), both of whom trained with their father.
Jan became a friend of Hogarth (No. 56).
As a French work, Théorie et practique du jardinage, this book was
first published in 1709 under the initials L. S. A. J. D. A., for Le Sieur
(1722) came out under the name of Alexander Le Blond, who had
done some drawings for it. His name was retained, even in translation,
until 1747, when, as Sowerby points out, Dezallier d'Argentville brought
out an edition under his own name and explained the earlier confusions.
Antoine Joseph Dezallier d'Argentville (1680-1765) was born in
Paris. He studied with B. Picart, de Piles, and Le Blond and also studied
natural history. He published, in addition to the Théorie, an Histoire
naturelle, 1742, the three-volume Abrégé de la vie des plus fameux
peintres, 1745-52, and Ennumerationis fossilium, 1751.
John James (d.1742) worked under Wren, Vanbrugh, Campbell,
and Ripley. He was clerk of the works at Greenwich Hospital, 1705;
master carpenter at St. Paul's Cathedral, 1711; surveyor of Westminster
Abbey, 1725; Master of the Carpenter's Company, 1724; and, it is
thought, surveyor of His Majesty's works, 1736. He was especially active
in the field of architectural publishing and translation. In addition to the
Theory, whose first edition in English was before 1712, he published a
translation from the Italian of Pozzo's Rules and Examples of Perspective,
1707; a translation from the French of Claude Perrault's A Treatise
of the Five Orders of Columns in Architecture, 1708 (see No. 96a); and
A Short Review of the Several Pamphlets and Schemes That Have Been
Offered to the Publick in Relation to the Building of a Bridge at Westminster,
1736.
Jean Baptiste Alexander Le Blond (1679-1719) was a French
architect especially interested in gardens.
The book is:
divided into four Parts, which contain, in all, twenty two Chapters.
In the first Part is taught all the Theory of Gardening, it being necessary,
as every one knows, to learn the Theory before the Practice. . . .
The second Part teaches the Practice of Gardening. . . .
The third Part contains the Manner of planting and raising in little
time, the Plants and Flowers proper for Pleasure-Gardens.
The fourth and last Part shews the Method of searching out Water,
conveying it into Gardens, and of making Basons, Fountains, and Cascades.
[Pp. 5-6]
It does not conceal the fact that wealth is needed in order to have
a handsome garden, it is full of good advice, and it is most interesting on
the relations between the architect and the client, relations which apparently
have not changed much over the centuries:
Supposing, then, that a private Person, wealthy, and curious in the Art
of Gardening, would be at the necessary Expence of planting a handsome Garden,
Soil, to the Execution and highest Perfection of his Garden, instructing him
in whatever he ought to know, that he be not impos'd upon by the Countrymen
and Artificers he shall have occasion to employ. [P. 4]
The first Thing, and the most essential to be observed is chusing a Place
to plant a Garden in, is the Situation and Exposition of the Ground. [P. 7]
To make a complete Disposition and Distribution of a general Plan, respect
must be had to the Situation of the Ground: For the greatest Skill in the
right ordering of a Garden, is, thoroughly to understand, and consider the
natural Advantages and Defects of the Place; to make use of the one, and to
redress the other: Situations differing in every Garden. . . .
Tis, therefore, the great Business of an Architect, or Designer of Gardens,
when he would contrive a handsome Plan, with his utmost Art and good
OEconomy to improve the natural Advantages, and to redress the Imperfections,
Bevellings, and Inequalities of the Ground. With these Precautions he
should guide and restrain the Impetuosity of his Genius, never swerving
from Reason, but constantly submitting, and conforming himself to that
which suits best with the natural Situation of the Place.
An Architect has sometimes great cause to complain, that he is oblig'd
to subject his Genius and good Taste to the wrong Notions of the Gentlemen
he has to do with, who are often so fond of their own Opinions, as to spoil
many good Designs. This, without Enquiry into the Cause, is by Criticks generally,
though unjustly, thrown upon the Architect, unless he may be said to
have deserv'd it for his blind Complaisance. [P. 15]
The design of gardens in 1709 was still primarily worked out "according
to the Principles of Geometry," as the title page says, an approach
which may be seen in the book's discussion of parterres:
The Name of Parterre has its Original from the Latin Word Partiri, to
divide; and according to some, a Parterre denotes a flat and even Surface.
The Compartiments and Borders of Parterres are taken from Geometrical
Figures, as well rightlined, as circular, mix'd, &c. [P. 39]
Parterres of Embroidery are so called, because the Box wherewith
they are planted, imitates Embroidery upon the Ground. These are the finest
and most magnificent of all, and are sometimes accompanied with Knots and
Scrolls of Grass-work. Their Bottom should be sanded, the better to distinguish
the Foliage and Flourish'd-work of the Embroidery, which is usually
filled with Smiths-Dust, or black Earth. [P. 41]
The book does not seem to have had an influence on Jefferson, since
there is almost no evidence that he used this formal kind of garden
design. The library's present copy duplicates the one Jefferson sold to
Congress. He did not order it for the University.
M
Sowerby 4226
*SB461.D48
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