Gerard Valck after Nicolas de Larmessin II
Habit de Jardinier, G; Valck. Ex. [Amsterdam, c.1695]
Copper engraving
28 x 19 cm
LOPF 2026: Sanders of Oxford, Online Exhibitor
£ 600.00
A fanciful and entertaining illustration of a gardener, his clothes made up of items related to his profession, engraved and issued by Valck after a suite of designs by Nicolas...
A fanciful and entertaining illustration of a gardener, his clothes made up of items related to his profession, engraved and issued by Valck after a suite of designs by Nicolas de Larmessin II entitled "Les Costumes grotesques et les métiers." The series shows the 'habit' or dress of each trade, with their elaborate costumes executed in a style reminiscent of the imaginative mannerist portraits of the Italian painter Arcimboldo from a century earlier. The current example, a gardener, is attired in a mix of both the tools and products of his trade. His torso takes the form of a planter, its sides painted with rustic scenes. His hat is a large and flourishing pomegranate bush, while his sleeves are terracotta plant pots. In his left hand he languidly holds a watering can, while his right clutches a bevy of tools, including a pair of shears, a rake, two hoes, and a long handled sickle from which are hung pruning knives and two wooden stakes or dibbers. His bottom half is a veritable cornucopia of produce, including bunches of grapes, melons, gourds, carrots, flowers, and leafy garlands. Behind him, elegantly dressed guests promenade in an expansive parterre garden.
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