The Chinese Garden: History, Art and Architecture by Maggie Keswick - 1980

Academy Editions, London, 1980. Second Edition. Hardcover (Original Cloth). Very Good Condition/Fair. Dense with winding paths, dominated by huge rock piles and buildings squeezed into small spaces, the characteristic Chinese garden is, for many foreigners, so unlike anything else as to be incomprehensible. Only on closer acquaintance does it offer up its mysteries; and such is the achievement of Maggie Keswick's celebrated classic that it affords us - adventurers, armchair travelers, and garden buffs alike - the intimate pleasures of the Chinese garden. In these richly illustrated pages, Chinese gardens unfold as cosmic diagrams, revealing a profound and ancient view of the world and of humanity's place in it. First sensuous impressions give way to more cerebral delights, and forms conjure unending, increasingly esoteric and mystical layers of meaning for the initiate. Keswick conducts us through the art and architecture, the principles and techniques of Chinese gardens, showing us their long history as the background for a civilization - the settings for China's great poets and painters, the scenes of ribald parties and peaceful contemplation, political intrigues and family festivals. with an introduction by Alison Hardie, many new illustrations, and an updated list of gardens in China accessible to visitors, Keswick's engaging work remains unparalleled as an introduction to the Chinese garden. Size: 4to - over 9¾" - 12" tall. 216 pages. Binding is tight, covers and spine fully intact. Dust Jacket worn at spine ends. Dust Jacket un-clipped. Gilt titles spine. red cloth; illustrated by colour & b/w. photo's. with b/w. drawings & diagrams. Includes notes; select bibliography & index. Quantity Available: 1. Shipped Weight: 1-2 kilos. Category: Gardening; Garden Design; Chinese Gardens; Garden Architecture; China; Architecture. ISBN: 0847801934. ISBN/EAN: 9780847801930. Pictures of this item not already displayed here available upon request. Inventory No: 4532. . 9780847801930