The Late Middle Ages saw the emergence in theLow Countries of a unique form of religious artthat employed a diverse range of artefacts andmemorabilia: Enclosed Gardens.These unique mixed-media objects representan idealized spiritual and paradisiacal world.Aside from polychrome statuettes (poupées deMalines), the Gardens include silk flowers, metalpilgrim badges, wax medallions, relics, alabasterartefacts, parchment, paper and pipe clay. Finishingdecorative touches include sequins, pearls andbeads made of glass, bone coral and amber. Intheir entirety, each one is an extraordinary journeythrough a ‘garden’ of the imagination that can beopened or closed up with painted panels.288 PAGES • 29.1 X 24.2 CM • HARDCOVER • €49.95 • DUTCH AND ENGLISH EDITIONISBN (DUTCH): 978 94 9267 766 2 • ISBN (ENGLISH): 978 94 9267 767 9BEAUTIFULLY ILLUSTRATED OVERVIEW OF SIXTEENTHCENTURYSPIRITUAL CABINETS OF CURIOSITYThe sixteenth-century Enclosed Gardens ofMechelen enjoy international recognition asunique creations and masterpieces. They are aspecial mixture of devotion, spirituality and artisaninnovation. This precious collection is held at theMuseum Hof van Busleyden in Mechelen.This book not only brings together knowledgeabout the Gardens’ content and visual language,but also focuses attention on their particularphysical features. Close-up photographs showartefacts never previously observed and helpunravel our understanding of these historic mixedmediaworks of art. This first complete overviewof the Mechelen Enclosed Gardens is the result ofyears of international academic research.