Two women in a pavilion overlooking irises in Japan, between 1860 and 1910.
This hand-colored photograph comes from the National Museum of Denmark Commons on flickr — part of a collection that belonged to journalist Holger Rosenberg.
Unfortunately, the museum does not have any additional information about it.
In Heian Period [794 -1185] Japanese gardens, built in the Chinese model, buildings occupied as much or more space than the garden. The garden was designed to be seen from the main building and its verandas, or from small pavilions built for that purpose. In later gardens, the buildings were less visible. Rustic teahouses were hidden in their own little gardens, and small benches and open pavilions along the garden paths provided places for rest and contemplation. In later garden architecture, walls of houses and teahouses could be opened to provide carefully framed views of the garden. The garden and the house became one.
— “Japanese garden,” Wikipedia
Click here to see all the Museum’s online photos of Japanese landscapes (and some wonderful kimonos).
There’s also a 1913 Japanese iris garden in East Hampton, N.Y., here.
To scroll through larger versions of these images, click on ‘Continue reading’ below and then on any thumbnail in the gallery.
enclos*ure 