“Step into the 18th century with this detailed engraving, showcasing the elaborate and highly structured pleasure gardens enjoyed by Viennese aristocracy. It's a window into the Baroque ideal of taming nature for aesthetic delight.”
This engraving, titled "Four Representations of Pleasant and Elegant Plans of the Following Pleasure Gardens Outside the Residential City of Vienna," offers a bird's-eye view of meticulously designed Baroque landscapes. You are looking down upon intricate parterres, fountains, and geometrically arranged pathways, all characteristic of the grand garden designs popular in early 18th-century Europe. The precision of the lines and the careful rendering of each shrub and architectural element speak to the era's fascination with order and control over nature. These aren't just pretty pictures; they are functional plans, providing a detailed blueprint for what would have been a breathtaking experience for visitors strolling through these real-life garden estates. It captures a moment when landscape architecture was considered a high art, reflecting the wealth and taste of its patrons.
- Artist
- Salomon Kleiner
- Date
- 1725
- Medium
- Engraving
- Location
- The Metropolitan Museum of Art
- Dimensions
- Overall: 13 9/16 x 19 5/16 x 13/16 in. (34.5 x 49 x 2 cm)
- Collection
- Drawings and Prints
- Credit line
- Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1930
What to Notice
Five details hide in plain sight. Here’s where to look.

The symmetrical layout of the garden beds and paths.
Tiny figures of people strolling, providing a sense of scale.
Elaborate fountains and water features at the center of each design.
The delicate shading that gives depth to the trees and hedges.
1 more detail is waiting.
See all 5 in Art Whisper →Stand in front of it and listen
The full narration walks you through Viererleÿ Vorstellungen angenehm-und zierlicher Grundrisse folgender Lustgärten ausser der Residenz-Stadt Wienn.. — the story behind it, the details most visitors miss, and why it matters. Free in the Art Whisper app.
Salomon Kleiner
1700–1761 · Holy Roman EmpireSalomon Kleiner masterfully captured the grandeur of 18th-century European architecture and gardens through his intricate engravings.
Further Works by Kleiner
Representation...des Chateaux de Weissenstein ...Pommersfeld und Geibach
1728 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Residences Memorables de l'Incomporable Heros de Nôtre Siècle, ou Edifices et Jardins de Son Altesse Serenissime Monsigneur Le Prince Eugene François de Savoye et de Piedmont
1731 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
More works to explore
Beyond Kleiner: works from the same years.
Same era · 1710s–1740s
Samuel Bradford (1652–1731), Master (1716–1724), Bishop of Rochester (1723–1731)
John Theodore Heins · 1729 · Corpus Christi College
Same era · 1710s–1740s
Venus and Cupid
Adriaen van der Werff · 1716 · Czartoryski Museum
Same era · 1710s–1740s
Hudibras' First Adventure (Twelve Large Illustrations for Samuel Butler's Hudibras, Plate 3)
William Hogarth · 1725 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Same era · 1710s–1740s
Two Pieces of Embroidery
Philippe de la Salle · 1723 · Cleveland Museum of Art
