Inclosed Gardens

The Late Middle Ages saw the emergence in the Low Countries of a unique form of religious art that employed a diverse range of artefacts and memorabilia: Enclosed Gardens. These unique mixed-media objects represent an idealized spiritual and paradisiacal world. Aside from polychrome statuettes (poupées de Malines), the Gardens include silk flowers, metal pilgrim badges, wax medallions, relics, alabaster artefacts, parchment, paper and pipe clay. Finishing decorative touches include sequins, pearls and beads made of glass, bone coral and amber. In their entirety, each one is an extraordinary journey through a ‘garden’ of the imagination that can be opened or closed up with painted panels. 288 PAGES • 29.1 X 24.2 CM • HARDCOVER • €49.95 • DUTCH AND ENGLISH EDITION ISBN (DUTCH): 978 94 9267 766 2 • ISBN (ENGLISH): 978 94 9267 767 9 BEAUTIFULLY ILLUSTRATED OVERVIEW OF SIXTEENTHCENTURY SPIRITUAL CABINETS OF CURIOSITY The sixteenth-century Enclosed Gardens of Mechelen enjoy international recognition as unique creations and masterpieces. They are a special mixture of devotion, spirituality and artisan innovation. This precious collection is held at the Museum Hof van Busleyden in Mechelen. This book not only brings together knowledge about the Gardens’ content and visual language, but also focuses attention on their particular physical features. Close-up photographs show artefacts never previously observed and help unravel our understanding of these historic mixedmedia works of art. This first complete overview of the Mechelen Enclosed Gardens is the result of years of international academic research.