[Attributed to Martin Engelbrecht]
Zier Garten mit Fontainen und Cascaden! (Peepshow)
[Augsburg: ca. mid-18th century]. First edition.
Series of six die-cut copperplate engravings. Each plate numbered sequentially, final plate bearing plate number N: 12305 in lower right. Complete.
Each scene measures approximately 9 x 13.5 cm (3.5 x 5.25 in.), engraved and hand-colored, with intricately cut apertures designed to be layered in telescopic succession. All six plates preserved in a modern custom folder.
Condition: Very Good. All pieces intact with precise die-cutting. Margins on versos of each plate discreetly reinforced with archival paper strips, stabilizing structure without affecting images or window cuts. Bright and well-preserved colors.
Collector’s Corner:
The publisher of this charming Baroque peepshow is not named, but based on stylistic and technical features, the set is attributed to the Augsburg printmaker Martin Engelbrecht (1684–1756). The title—Zier Garten mit Fontainen und Cascaden! (“Ornamental Garden with Fountains and Cascades”)—captures the subject matter well: an elaborate Rococo pleasure garden filled with parterre designs, fountains, and architectural follies viewed through a theatrical procession of arched die-cut vistas.
The format belongs to Engelbrecht’s celebrated tradition of Perspektivtheater or “perspective theatres,” which gained popularity across Europe during the 18th century as both decorative novelties and storytelling devices. These cut-out theatrical scenes were sold in sets and intended to be mounted in a deep viewing box or simply layered on a table, creating a dramatic illusion of depth.
The engravings in this set closely resemble those illustrated in Martin Engelbrecht: Perspektivtheater – Dioramen (Stuttgart: Füsslin Verlag, 2016), a definitive catalog of Engelbrecht’s peepshow production. The set appears to borrow imagery from two distinct Engelbrecht peepshows, likely assembled as a unique thematic series around ornamental gardens and hydraulic displays—hallmarks of late Baroque and Rococo taste.
Historical Context:
Baroque gardens, like those celebrated at Versailles or Schönbrunn, were central to 18th-century court culture. With their geometric hedges, reflecting pools, fountains, and “surprise” cascades, they offered spectacles of symmetry and power. Peepshows like this one allowed the broader public to encounter such grandeur in miniature form, often sold at fairs or in city shops.
Attribution Note:
The stylistic hallmarks—engraving technique, titling, subject matter, and layered construction—are all consistent with works confirmed to be by Engelbrecht or his workshop in Augsburg. While unsigned, the final plate bears the number 12305, in line with other known Engelbrecht peepshows.
References:
Milano, Alberto, ed. Martin Engelbrecht: Perspektivtheater – Dioramen. Stuttgart: Füsslin Verlag, 2016.