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Inspired by a location in
Longwood
Gardens
, I have created in this painting the most beautiful and peaceful place
I can imagine. Pierre S. du Pont must have had a similar motivation for
constructing his spectacular park. Since the
Hanging
Gardens
of
Babylon
, individuals with the means have created versions of the Garden of Eden
- the earthly paradise. Artists from Van Eyck to Watteau to Winslow
Homer have found inspiration in these places and tried to imagine in
their work nature at its most spiritually perfected. In
this painting, the classical columns in the middle ground perch on the
edge of the water like Narcissus mesmerized by his beautiful reflection.
A gray fall sky softly illuminates the scene and saturates the
contrasting colors of blue water and the orange of the fallen leaves. An
elegiac mood, so dear to the hearts of the nineteenth century romantic
poets, painters and sculptures, saturates the scene.
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