Seventeenth and 18th century landscape design tended to incorporate elements that reflected the popular taste for all things Chinese in much of Europe, but particularly in England and France. By the end of the 18th century, this style was on the wane in England, yet remained popular in France into the 19th century.
Sir William Chambers (1723-1796) was a British architect who at the age of sixteen joined the Swedish East India Company. During his time working for the company, he travelled widely, including trips to India and China in the 1740s. In 1757, he received a commission from the Dowager Princess of Wales (Princess Augusta) to design a set of buildings for her gardens at Kew. Shown here are views of Kew Gardens, including the Pagoda designed in 1761. The Pagoda is one of only four buildings by Chambers that is still standing; it remains an important feature in the landscape at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
- Plans, Elevations, Sections, and Perspective Views of the Gardens and Buildings at Kew, in Surry [sic] by Sir William Chambers. London: J. Haberkorn, 1763.
- Jardins Anglo-Chinois (Anglo-Chinese Gardens) by George Louis le Rouge. Paris: Chez Rouge, 1776-1779.