Russian Gardens in the 17th and 18th Centuries: the Italian Prototypes

The article is devoted to the history of Russian gardens in the 17th and 18th centuries, in which various influences of Italian garden culture can be found. The author emphasizes links with the Italian culture through literature and mythology, as well as the influence of the direct impressions of the embassy participants and travelers in the Italian States. In conclusion, the scheme of development of garden Italianisms in Russia is outlined — from the use of schematic and simplified regular plans of gardens in the Middle ages, only remotely resembling their Italian prototypes, to the development of technical innovations and imaginative analogies in the New time, and from them to the art of artistic transformation and harmonization of the Russian landscape. Keywords—Russian gardens in the 17th and 18th centuries; Italian Renaissance gardens; Italian influence; “Giardini segreti”; Botanical gardens; the development of Russian-Italian ties in the landscape gardening; gardens of Peter the Great