Chinese Gardens

Chinese gardens embody a distinctive philosophy that emphasizes harmony between nature and humans. American landscape architect David H. Engel sought to capture this aesthetic in his series of photographs of the unique gardens of the Suzhou region in China. The photographs were selected to accompany a recent body of Chinese artworks gifted to BAM by Thomas J. Cooney in honor of his wife Joan Chapman Cooney, including Chinese scrolls, antique fans, and a Suzhou Landscape scroll painted by the important 20th century Chinese artist, Wu Guanzhong. Together, these works provide a sense of peaceful reflection.

Exhibition organized by the Boise Art Museum.

The accompanying photography exhibition, The Beauty of Chinese Gardens: Photography by David H. Engel, is organized and circulated by China Institute Gallery, New York.

Sponsored by Thomas J. Cooney in honor of Joan Chapman Cooney

IMAGE: Wu Guanzhong, Suzhou Landscape, early 1980s, hanging scroll, ink and color, on paper, Collection of the Boise Art Museum, Gift of Thomas J. Cooney in memory of his wife, Joan Chapman Cooney.

HEADER IMAGE: David H. Engel, Scene Appreciation from the Pavilion, The Master-of-Nets Garden, Suzhou, First built in Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279), rebuilt in Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), 36 x 29 cm, Collection of China Institute Gallery