The History of Outdoor Water Fountains
The History of Outdoor Water Fountains Pope Nicholas V, himself a learned man, governed the Roman Catholic Church from 1397 to 1455 during which time he commissioned many translations of ancient classic Greek texts into Latin. He undertook the embellishment of Rome to make it into the worthy capital of the Christian world. Beginning in 1453, the ruined ancient Roman aqueduct known as the Aqua Vergine which had brought fresh drinking water into the city from eight miles away, underwent repair at the behest of the Pope.
A mostra, a monumental dedicatory fountain built by ancient Romans to mark the point of arrival of an aqueduct, was a practice which was restored by Nicholas V. The present-day site of the Trevi Fountain was formerly occupied by a wall fountain commissioned by the Pope and built by the architect Leon Battista Alberti. Changes and extensions, included in the repaired aqueduct, eventually supplied the Trevi Fountain and the well-known baroque fountains in the Piazza del Popolo and Piazza Navona with the necessary water supply.
Rome, Gian Lorenzo Bernini, And Fountains
Rome, Gian Lorenzo Bernini, And Fountains There are numerous celebrated water features in Rome’s city center. Gian Lorenzo Bernini, one of the finest sculptors and artists of the 17th century designed, conceived and built virtually all of them. Also a city designer, he had capabilities as a fountain developer, and marks of his life's work are evident throughout the roads of Rome. Bernini's father, a renowned Florentine sculptor, mentored his young son, and they ultimately moved to Rome, in order to fully express their art, primarily in the form of public water fountains and water features. An outstanding worker, Bernin received praise and the patronage of popes and important painters. At the start he was recognized for his sculptural abilities. Working effortlessly with Roman marble, he utilized a base of experience in the classic Greek architecture, most especially in the Vatican. Though many artists had an impact on his work, Michelangelo had the most profound effect.Where did Garden Water Fountains Come From?
Where did Garden Water Fountains Come From?
The dramatic or decorative effect of a fountain is just one of the purposes it fulfills, in addition to supplying drinking water and adding a decorative touch to your property. From the beginning, outdoor fountains were simply meant to serve as functional elements. 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. Up until the nineteenth, fountains had to be more elevated and closer to a water supply, such as aqueducts and reservoirs, in order to take advantage of gravity which fed the fountains. Artists thought of fountains as wonderful additions to a living space, however, the fountains also served to provide clean water and honor the designer responsible for building it. Bronze or stone masks of animals and heroes were commonly seen on Roman fountains. Muslims and Moorish garden designers of the Middle Ages included fountains to re-create smaller versions of the gardens of paradise. King Louis XIV of France wanted to demonstrate his superiority over nature by including fountains in the Gardens of Versailles. The Popes of the 17th and 18th centuries were glorified with baroque style fountains made to mark the arrival points of Roman aqueducts.
Since indoor plumbing became the norm of the day for clean, drinking water, by the end of the 19th century urban fountains were no longer needed for this purpose and they became purely decorative. Fountains using mechanical pumps instead of gravity helped fountains to provide recycled water into living spaces as well as create unique water effects.
Embellishing city parks, honoring people or events and entertaining, are some of the uses of modern-day fountains.