Enclosed Gardens of Mechelen

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.