A delicate pen and watercolour study by Elias van Nijmegen, depicting a formal garden terrace with a fountain, pond, and a peacock.

This study by Elias van Nijmegen captures a formal garden scene, rendered with the fluid spontaneity characteristic of eighteenth-century Dutch draughtsmanship. The composition employs a classic framing device, using overhanging trees on the left and right to guide the viewer towards the central axis of the garden. A stone terrace occupies the foreground, where a peacock stands as a solitary, elegant figure, flanked by two sphinx-like sculptures.

Beyond the terrace, the eye is drawn to a rectangular pond featuring a central fountain. The background reveals a structured garden design, typical of the period, with manicured trees and architectural elements receding into the distance. Van Nijmegen uses ink to define the structural outlines of the balustrades, urns, and statuary, while light washes of watercolour provide depth and atmosphere to the water and foliage. The palette remains restrained, relying on soft greys, browns, and muted blues to suggest the quiet stillness of the setting.

Van Nijmegen, a painter from Nijmegen who later worked in Rotterdam, is known for his decorative wall paintings and garden designs. This work reflects his interest in the intersection of nature and human artifice. The sketch demonstrates a clear understanding of perspective and spatial arrangement, common in the preparatory drawings of the era. It offers a glimpse into the aesthetic preferences of the Dutch elite, who favoured orderly, symmetrical outdoor spaces that mirrored the refinement of their interiors. The work is a study in balance, where the organic presence of the peacock contrasts with the rigid geometry of the fountain and the surrounding architecture.