Can you link to some pictures Ron?

Ron,

I think Clingendael is one of the better, surviving examples of the early european interpretation of the Japanese garden(though since I saw it I think a restoration project was planned) as with many of these european 'Japanese style' gardens Clingendael had then achieved an agedness/patina somewhat through neglect as much as good maintenance though the end product is still very satisfying. It is unfortunate that this era produced gardens with features such as red bridges and abundance of japanese garden elements - lanterns etc. This style and era of garden building is now righly seen as an important part of European garden history. A fusion of styles or poor interpretation of Japanese gardens by the 19th/early20th century europeans ? Which ever is the case they still make for very pleasing gardens. The climate of N europe is very well suited to attempting to reproduce the moss gardens of Kyoto. Wybe Kuitert labelled the style as 'Japonaiserie' which I think is very appropriate. I think Wybe was involved in proposals for the restoration, do you know if this has taken place ?

Graham

In a new book dedicated to the chronical of the Clingendael garden, IÂve read that the term "Japonaiserie" was/is not meant to be negative at all. Rond 1900 the first Eurpean tourists visited Japan and in their enthousiasm they borrowed the Japanese arts they liked very much. This proces was also termed "Japonism". So yes, Japonaiserie was a kind of fusion between European and Japanese ideaÂs on gardening. Nothing wrong about it I think. The Japanese has always borrowed ideaÂs from outside Japan, too, but succeeded to developed something new upon these ideaÂs. The interesting question is: what is the significance of this development in the bigger picture, for both Japanese and European gardens ?

Ron,

you are correct that 'Japonaiserie' is not used in a critical or disrespectful way - just a term which very appropriately desrcibed the fusion of Japanese and European garden styles. As you said the Japanese have long 'borrowed' from other cultures and then developed 'styles' which have become very Japanese in their own right. I think this 'development' from the fusion of different landscaping styles/techniques can now be seen worldwide. Most european cities now boast public places where the use of space, more minimalist and subtle planting and the textures of materials used are certainly influenced by Oriental style but are clearly not of true Japanese/Chinese/Asian origin. So to try to address your question I think the significance of this fusion of styles is clear for all to see in the design of public spaces in our cities.

Graham

Andrea sent me some pictures of the garden in question and I think the 'Japanoiserie' label fits it well. Although Graham may not use Japanoiserie, in a disrespectful way it is the word you would use to describe say the stagey 'Mikado', Bugaku on the other hand, being Japanese. Subtle is not a word to describe it. The minimalism of works by the likes of Murase or Noguchi are certainly not "Japanoiserie" but show the influence of a Japanese aesthetic that is evident but difficult to label.

Indeed, very useful words Japanoiserie and Japonisme to describe a certain style.
A taste for the art of the Far East became increasingly prevalent in Europe from the late Baroque period. In Holland and England the passion for the middle classes for collecting centered on Chinese porcelain and ceramic. After 1854 -when the ports of Japan were opened to the word- China and Japan were both represented at the international exhibitions . Their success in London in 1862 and in Paris in 1876, 1878 and 1889 has had an enormous influence on European and American art. European artist with Japanese art created Japonisme. Without this influence Monet would not be the "Monet" we know. Japonisme effected the applied arts even more, including architecture and garden creation and gave foundation for Art Nouveau.

Looks like the Clingendael Garden is a fine representative of that style.

Andrea

Unfortunately there are no documets that can lead us to the designer and to the design considerations of the Clingendael garden. The speculation is now that the owner has designed it herself, after she came back from her travels to Japan. They think that these documents were burned during the war. The garden itself tend to be suited in a Cha Niwa style, because of the hut, the stepstones, waterbassin, etc. But at the other way, it has one very straight path, at one side of the garden. Other paths in the garden are twisted anyway. So, the straight path seems to be a kind of dissonance for the others. Why did she decide to do this ? Is there any special considerations ? Nobody knows for sure. There is also abundantly use of flowers, much more than it is used to be in a traditional Japanese garden. But than again, it is a "Japonaiserie" garden, and most women like flowers. The mystery of the design and the designer of this garden remains Â

The garden is also famous of itÂs mosses. High trees around and in the garden provide the shades for them. The big red mapple and other lower ones, the azaleaÂs o-karikomi shrubs, and the Wisteria are also grown out to be excellent elements of the garden.

Kuitert has published research of the history of the Clingendael garden which shows very strong links with the gardens constructed for the 1910 Anglo-Japanese exhibition in London. The same influences can clearly be seen in the gardens at Tatton Park, England and Tully House, Ireland. The design of the winding streams and lake at Clingendael and Tatton Park are very similar to one of the London exhibition gardens. Keijiro Ozawa and Kinkichiro Honda were responsible for the design and overseeing construction works in London. Hannosuke Izawa was the gardener responsible for the construction 'guiding 3 other Japanese workers'. Kuiterts research also shows evidence of the involvement of Saburo Ida, a Japanese, resident in London since the 1880's. "Ida is most likely the same person as a man called Tassa Eida in England. Eida is known to have guided the works at the garden at Tully House" It is also thought Eida was involved in the construction of the garden at Tatton Park. The majority of the garden artefacts and structures at Tatton Park are also known to have been sourced from the London exhibition. This research coupled with construction dates of London -1910, Tatton Park - 1910-12, Clingendael - 1915 would suggest that the same Japanese craftsmen in Europe at that time were responsible for or involved in these projects. Kinkichiro Honda was also responsible for some of the illustrations in Conders publication 'Landscape gardening in Japan' The styles of the gardens at London, Tatton and Clingendael suggest that Conders work was certainly an inspiration for their layout.
Ron mentioned the abundant use of flowers at Clingendael, it could well be significant that the owner Baroness van Brienen was good friends with and hosted visits of the sisters Ella and Florence Du Cane. Ella was the painter who had travelled extensively in Japan producing watercolours of gardens and flowers. Florence wrote the text for their 1908 publication 'The Flowers and Gardens of Japan'

Graham

Very informative, thank you Graham.

As I said, there is no single document from the Clingendael garden, so do you know if there was something written about it in other documents, for example those from the Tatton Park and Tully House Japanese gardens ? IÂm afraid not, because the chronological facts (Clingendael was the last built of the three). What makes you suggesting that Baroness van Brienen was good friends with and hosted visits of the sisters Ella and Florence Du Cane ?

Anything else about Clingendael is welcome.

Ron,

most of the factual information I quoted, including the detail of the Baroness' association with the Du Cane sisters, came from published work of Wybe Kuitert. I think it was a piece in a Garden History journal investigating the early history of Clingendael and its connections with the 1910 London exhibition. I will try and get you exact details of the journal. I only have a copy of the original text which Wybe had kindly sent me as I assisted him with the UK side of his research. If all else fails I will scan it, though its lengthy, and email it to you. I will see what I can find for you.

Graham

Ron,

the work was published in Garden History, the journal of the Garden History Society - www.gardenhistorysociety.org.
Volume 30.2 'The Dutch influence on gardens' Winter 2002.

Graham

Any photos of this garden floating around?

There are some pics if you Googles for pictures and type "Clingendael".