First edition of a thorough research into the science of colours and perspective, especially in relation to the designing and planning of gardens. Carl Eduard Adolph Petzold (1815-1891) worked as the park and garden inspector of Prince Pückler at Muskau, the Great Duke at Weimar, and Prince Frederik of the Netherlands respectively. Convinced that colour and perspective worked quite differently in a garden than on a painting, the author devoted a lifelong study to this subject, resulting in the present work.
It starts with a basic teaching of the science of colours, optics, and perspective, followed by the application of colours in practice, their beauty and property, etc. Then an important treatise follows on the special working of colours in the landscape as a result of the perspective of the light and the air, the composition of the sky, etc. The work closes with the basic laws of colour combinations in gardens and with suggestions of colour combinations, not only for flowers, but for trees and shrubbery as well.
With two library stamps of the Fürstlich Fürstenbergische Hofbibliothek Donaueschingen on the title page and the front pastedown. The binding shows minor traces of use. The work is somewhat foxed throughout. Otherwise in good condition. Dochnahl p. 119; Springer pp. 86-87; not in Vagnetti.