Where did Large Outdoor Fountains Come From?
Where did Large Outdoor Fountains Come From? A fountain, an amazing piece of engineering, not only supplies drinking water as it pours into a basin, it can also launch water high into the air for an extraordinary effect.From the beginning, outdoor fountains were soley there to serve as functional elements. Residents of cities, townships and small towns used them as a source of drinking water and a place to wash up, which meant that fountains needed to be connected to nearby aqueduct or spring.
Used until the 19th century, in order for fountains to flow or shoot up into the air, their source of water such as reservoirs or aqueducts, had to be higher than the water fountain in order to benefit from the power of gravity. Fountains were an optimal source of water, and also served to decorate living areas and memorialize the artist. Roman fountains often depicted imagery of animals or heroes made of bronze or stone masks. Muslims and Moorish garden designers of the Middle Ages included fountains to re-create smaller models of the gardens of paradise. To show his dominance over nature, French King Louis XIV included fountains in the Garden of Versailles. Seventeen and 18 century Popes sought to laud their positions by adding beautiful baroque-style fountains at the point where restored Roman aqueducts arrived into the city.
Since indoor plumbing became the standard of the day for fresh, drinking water, by the end of the 19th century urban fountains were no longer needed for this purpose and they became purely ornamental. Gravity was substituted by mechanical pumps in order to enable fountains to bring in clean water and allow for beautiful water displays.
Modern-day fountains function mostly as decoration for open spaces, to honor individuals or events, and enhance entertainment and recreational gatherings.
The Main Characteristics of Classic Greek Sculpture
The Main Characteristics of Classic Greek Sculpture Archaic Greeks were known for creating the first freestanding statuary; up until then, most carvings were made out of walls and pillars as reliefs. Most of these freestanding sculptures were what is known as kouros figures, statues of young, attractive male or female (kore) Greeks. Representing beauty to the Greeks, the kouroi were crafted to look stiff and commonly had foot in front; the males were vigorous, strong, and naked. In 650 BC, life-size versions of the kouroi began to be seen. During the Archaic period, a big time of change, the Greeks were evolving new sorts of government, expressions of art, and a larger understanding of people and cultures outside Greece. Nevertheless, the Greek civilization was not slowed down by these battles.Bernini's Earliest Showpieces
Bernini's Earliest Showpieces The Barcaccia, Bernini's first fountain, is a striking chef d'oeuvre built at the bottom of the Trinita dei Monti in Piaza di Spagna. This spot is still filled with Roman locals and tourists who enjoy exchanging gossip or going over the day's news. Today, the city streets around Bernini's fountain are a trendy area where people go to gather, something which the artist would have been pleased to learn. In about 1630, the great artist designed the first water fountain of his career at the behest of Pope Ubano VIII. The fountain’s central theme is based on an enormous boat slowly sinking into the Mediterranean.
The great 16th century flooding of the Tevere, which left the entire region inundated with water, was memorialized by the fountain according to documents from the time. In what turned out to be his one and only prolonged absence from Italy, Bernini {journeyed | traveled] to France in 1665.