The Huis ten Bosch at The Hague and Its Formal Garden (View from the East)

Jan van der Heyden (Dutch) ca. 1668–70 Van der Heyden, a multi-talented individual encompassing artistic prowess and inventiveness (having conceived the fire pump and contributed to various urban improvements), specialized in creating precise and radiant cityscapes as well as countryside vistas. These two exquisite paintings capture the essence of Huis ten Bosch (House in the Woods), the country residence of the widowed Princess of Orange, which remains a home for the Dutch royal family to this day. Van der Heyden meticulously portrays the house within its formal garden adorned with neatly trimmed hedges, elegant pavilions, and majestic obelisks. The scenes come alive with the presence of diligent gardeners tending to their tasks and aristocrats leisurely strolling about. These meticulously crafted French-style gardens embody an idealized concept of nature meticulously shaped and controlled by human intervention, resulting in an environment characterized by order and harmony. Make a