Contemporary Garden Decoration: Large Outdoor Water Fountains and their Beginnings
Contemporary Garden Decoration: Large Outdoor Water Fountains and their Beginnings
The incredible architecture of a fountain allows it to provide clean water or shoot water high into air for dramatic effect and it can also serve as an excellent design feature to complement your home. Originally, fountains only served a functional purpose. People in cities, towns and villages received their drinking water, as well as water to bathe and wash, from aqueducts or springs in the vicinity. Up until the nineteenth, fountains had to be higher and closer to a water supply, including aqueducts and reservoirs, in order to benefit from gravity which fed the fountains. Fountains were not only utilized as a water source for drinking water, but also to decorate homes and celebrate the artist who created it. The main components used by the Romans to build their fountains were bronze or stone masks, mostly illustrating animals or heroes. To depict the gardens of paradise, Muslim and Moorish garden planners of the Middle Ages added fountains to their designs. King Louis XIV of France wanted to demonstrate his superiority over nature by including fountains in the Gardens 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.
Since indoor plumbing became the norm 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 decorative. Impressive water effects and recycled water were made possible by replacing the force of gravity with mechanical pumps.
Decorating city parks, honoring people or events and entertaining, are some of the purposes of modern-day fountains.
"Primitive" Greek Art: Garden Statuary
"Primitive" Greek Art: Garden Statuary Up right up until the Archaic Greeks created the very first freestanding sculpture, a phenomenal triumph, carvings had mainly been done in 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. The kouroi were believed by the Greeks to represent beauty and were sculpted with one foot leading and an uncompromising stiffness to their forward-facing poses; the male statues were always strapping, sinewy, and naked. The kouroi started to be life-sized beginning in 650 BC. The Archaic period was an extraordinary time of transformation for the Greeks as they grew into new modes of government, formed fresh expressions of art, and attained information of the men and women and cultures outside of Greece. The Arcadian conflicts, the Spartan penetration of Samos, and other wars between city-states are examples of the types of clashes that arose commonly, which is consistent with other times of historical transformation.
What Are Outdoor Garden Fountains Manufactured From?
What Are Outdoor Garden Fountains Manufactured From? Most modern garden fountains come in metal, although various other types exist. Metallic fountains, with their clean lines and sculptural accents, come in in a variety of metals and can accommodate any style or budget. If you have a modern-day look and feel to your interior design, your yard and garden should reflect that same style.A popular choice today is copper, and it is used in the designing of many sculptural garden fountains. Copper is appropriate for many fountain styles, including tabletop and cascade water fountains, and can be put inside or outside - making it a great option. Copper fountains also come in a wide array of styles - from fun and eccentric to modern and cutting-edge.
Brass water fountains are also popular, though they tend to have a more traditional look than copper ones. Although it is not the most modern, the creatures and sculptural features you find on fountains are commonly made of brass, thus making them very popular.
The most modern metal right now is probably stainless steel. For an instant increase in the value and comfort of your garden, get one of the contemporary steel designs. As with any type of fountain, they are available in many sizes.
Because it is both lighter and more affordable than metal but has a comparable look, fiberglass is quite common for fountains.
Keeping a fiberglass water fountain clean and working well is quite effortless, another aspect consumers like.
Your Outdoor Living Area: An Ideal Spot for a Fountain
Your Outdoor Living Area: An Ideal Spot for a Fountain A great way to enhance the appearance of your outdoor living area is to add a wall water feature or an exterior garden fountain to your landscaping or garden design. Many modern designers and artisans have been inspired by historical fountains and water features. As such, introducing one of these to your interior is a superb way to connect it to the past. In addition to the wonderful characteristics of garden fountains, they also generate water and moisture which goes into the air, thereby, drawing in birds as well as other creatures and harmonizing the environment. For example, birds attracted by a fountain or birdbath can be useful because they fend off irritating flying insects. The area necessary for a cascading or spouting fountain is considerable, so a wall fountain is the ideal size for a small yard. There are two types of fountains to choose from including the freestanding model with a flat back and an attached basin set up against a fence or a wall in your yard, or the wall-mounted, self-contained version which is suspended directly on a wall. Both a fountain mask placed on the existing wall as well as a basin located at the bottom to collect the water are equired if you wish to add a fountain. The plumbing and masonry work necessary for this kind of work requires know-how, so it is best to hire a skilled person rather than do it yourself.