Bernini: The Genius Behind Italy's Greatest Water Fountains

Bernini: The Genius Behind Italy's Greatest Water Fountains The Barcaccia, Bernini's very first water fountain, is a striking chef d'oeuvre built at the base of the Trinita dei Monti in Piaza di Spagna. This area is still filled with Roman locals and tourists who like to exchanging gossip or going over the day's news. The streets neighboring his fountain have come to be one of the city’s most trendy gathering places, something which would certainly have pleased Bernini himself. The master's first water fountain of his career was built at around 1630 at the request of Pope Urbano VIII. A large vessel slowly sinking into the Mediterranean is the fountain's main theme. The great 16th century flood of the Tevere, which left the entire region inundated with water, was memorialized by the water fountain according to documents from the time. In what turned out to be his only prolonged absence from Italy, Bernini {journeyed | traveled] to France in 1665.

Anglo-Saxon Gardens During the Norman Conquest

Anglo-Saxon Gardens During the Norman Conquest Anglo-Saxon Gardens Norman Conquest 56808341059002.jpg

The Anglo-Saxon way of life was considerably changed by the appearance of the Normans in the later eleventh century. The talent of the Normans exceeded the Anglo-Saxons' in design and farming at the time of the conquest. Still, home life, household architecture, and decoration were out of the question until the Normans taken over the general population. Because of this, castles were cruder buildings than monasteries: Monasteries were frequently immense stone buildings set in the biggest and most fertile valleys, while castles were constructed on windy crests where their inhabitants dedicated time and space to tasks for offense and defense. The barren fortresses did not provide for the peaceful avocation of horticulture. Berkeley Castle is probably the most complete model in existence nowadays of the early Anglo-Norman style of architecture. It is said that the keep was introduced during William the Conqueror's time. An enormous terrace encompasses the building, serving as an obstruction to attackers trying to dig under the castle walls. A scenic bowling green, covered in grass and enclosed by battlements cut out of an ancient yew hedge, makes one of the terraces.

"Primitive" Greek Artistry: Garden Statuary

"Primitive" Greek Artistry: Garden Statuary The initial freestanding sculpture was developed by the Archaic Greeks, a distinguished success since until then the only carvings in existence were reliefs cut into walls and pillars.

For the most part the statues, or kouros figures, were of adolescent and nice-looking male or female (kore) Greeks. The kouroi were seen by the Greeks to represent beauty and were sculpted with one foot leading and an uncompromising rigidity to their forward-facing poses; the male statues were always strapping, sinewy, and nude. In around 650 BC, the variations of the kouroi became life-sized. The Archaic period was an incredible time of transformation for the Greeks as they extended into new forms of government, produced unique expressions of art, and attained information of the people and cultures outside of Greece. The Arcadian wars, the Spartan penetration of Samos, and other wars between city-states are good examples of the types of battles that arose commonly, which is consistent with other times of historical transformation.