Modern Garden Decoration: Outdoor Fountains and their Beginnings
Modern Garden Decoration: Outdoor Fountains and their Beginnings A water fountain is an architectural piece that pours water into a basin or jets it high into the air in order to supply drinking water, as well as for decorative purposes.The central purpose of a fountain was originally strictly practical. People in cities, towns and villages received their drinking water, as well as water to bathe and wash, via aqueducts or springs in the area. Until the late nineteenth, century most water fountains operated using gravity to allow water to flow or jet into the air, therefore, they needed a supply of water such as a reservoir or aqueduct located higher than the fountain. Fountains were not only utilized as a water source for drinking water, but also to decorate homes and celebrate the artist who created it. Bronze or stone masks of animals and heroes were frequently seen on Roman fountains. Throughout the Middle Ages, Muslim and Moorish garden planners included fountains to create mini depictions of the gardens of paradise. To demonstrate his dominance over nature, French King Louis XIV included fountains in the Garden of Versailles. Seventeen and 18 century Popes sought to extol their positions by including decorative baroque-style fountains at the point where restored Roman aqueducts arrived into the city.
Indoor plumbing became the key source of water by the end of the 19th century thereby limiting urban fountains to mere decorative elements. Amazing water effects and recycled water were made possible by switching the power of gravity with mechanical pumps.
Modern-day fountains function mostly as decoration for open spaces, to honor individuals or events, and enhance entertainment and recreational activities.
The Father Of Roman Fountain Design
The Father Of Roman Fountain Design
In Rome’s city center, there are countless celebrated public fountains. One of the best ever sculptors and artists of the 17th century, almost all of them were planned, conceived and built by Gian Lorenzo Bernini. His expertise as a fountain developer and also as a city architect, are visible throughout the roads of Rome. Bernini's father, a celebrated Florentine sculptor, mentored his young son, and they ultimately settled in Rome, to thoroughly express their art in the form of public water features and water features. An outstanding worker, Bernin received encouragement and the the backing of popes and well known artists. At first he was renowned for his sculpting skills. Working gracefully with Roman marble, he made use of a base of knowledge in the historical Greek architecture, most obviously in the Vatican. Though he was influenced by many, Michelangelo had the most profound effect on him, both personally and professionally.