Gezicht vanuit de colonnade op de tuin van Huis ter Meer te Maarssen - Hendrik de Leth

A precise eighteenth-century etching by Hendrik de Leth, depicting the formal gardens and colonnade of Huis ter Meer in Maarssen.

This etching by Hendrik de Leth captures a formal garden view at Huis ter Meer in Maarssen. The composition focuses on a structured perspective, drawing the eye through a colonnade of clipped hedges towards a distant fountain. The artist employs precise line work to define the architectural elements of the garden, including the statues placed at intervals along the path. The foreground features figures dressed in mid-eighteenth-century attire, providing a sense of scale and social context to the manicured environment.

De Leth was a Dutch engraver and cartographer, active during a period when the depiction of country estates was a popular pursuit among the landed gentry. His work often documented the specific geometry of Dutch gardens, which were heavily influenced by French formal design principles. The print demonstrates a clear interest in the interplay between light and shadow, particularly in the way the sun hits the foliage and the figures. The sky is rendered with soft, horizontal hatching, suggesting a calm atmosphere. The bilingual title at the base, provided in both Dutch and French, reflects the international appeal of such topographical records during the eighteenth century. This print offers a glimpse into the aesthetic preferences of the era, where nature was subjected to strict order and symmetry. The attention to detail in the clothing and the garden architecture makes this a valuable record of historical Dutch estate design.