LANDSCAPE AS ART

’to display in its full force a terminating scene the most magnifcent that can be conceived.’

Humphry Repton, ’Red Book’ for Kenwood


The famous landscape-architect Humphry Repton created the view that you can see today at Kenwood in the 1790s. It is an important example of the natural-seeming style which became known worldwide as the ’English Landscape-garden’.

Inspired by idealised paintings of the landscapes of Ancient Greece and Rome, Repton moved roads, planted woods and re-directed water-courses to complement the house and make the estate seem endless. He designed it to be viewed from a series of carefully-chosen viewpoints.

Before Repton began work, the view towards London was already celebrated. He opened up the valley further, moved Hampstead Lane northward and laid out a new drive. He also built this terrace as a viewing point, looking towards a pond and reservoir, cleverly joined together to give the illusion of a wide river flowing towards the city.

[Images:]
left. View from Repton’s ’Red book’
Repton presented his clients with ’red books’ containing illustrated descriptions of his proposals. To help them picture the results he included watercolours with moveable flaps showing the estates ’before’ and ’after’. This ’after’ sketch shows how his design would improve the view and strengthen the boundary of trees to the east.

top: Humphry Repton (1752-1818),
(engraving by Henry Bryan Hall; after Samuel Shelley, 1839) was the leading landscape-architect of his day. He produced over 400 landscape designs, working for some of the wealthiest patrons in Britain and producing masterpieces including Tatton Park, Harewood House and Bayham Abbey.


below. View of Kenwood’s landscape today
showing the South Front.

Try and spot the bridge.
Go and have a look close up to see what makes it unusual.

Supported by
The National Lottery

Heritage lottery fund

The plaque depicts the landscape design of Kenwood House by landscape architect Humphry Repton

Kenwood House in reality was photographed on the same day Click for a larger image