The Source of Today's Outdoor Garden Fountains
The Source of Today's Outdoor Garden Fountains Hundreds of classic Greek records were translated into Latin under the auspices of the scholarly Pope Nicholas V, who ruled the Roman Catholic Church from 1397 to 1455. In order to make Rome deserving of being the capital of the Christian world, the Pope decided to enhance the beauty of the city. Starting 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 restoration at the bidding of the Pope. Building a mostra, an imposing commemorative fountain built by ancient Romans to memorialize the entry point of an aqueduct, was a tradition revived by Nicholas V. The architect Leon Battista Alberti was directed by the Pope to build a wall fountain where we now find the Trevi Fountain. The aqueduct he had reconditioned included modifications and extensions which eventually allowed it to supply water to the Trevi Fountain as well as the famed baroque fountains in the Piazza del Popolo and the Piazza Navona.
Sculpture As a Staple of Vintage Art in Archaic Greece
Sculpture As a Staple of Vintage Art in Archaic Greece The initial freestanding sculpture was developed by the Archaic Greeks, a notable success since until then the sole carvings in existence were reliefs cut into walls and columns. Kouros figures, sculptures of young, handsome male or female (kore) Greeks, made up the bulk of the sculptures. The kouroi, viewed by the Greeks to exemplify beauty, had one foot extended out of a rigid forward-facing pose and the male figurines were always unclothed, with a strong, powerful build. The kouroi became life-sized commencing in 650 BC. The Archaic period was an incredible time of transformation for the Greeks as they extended into new modes of government, created novel expressions of art, and achieved knowledge of the men and women and cultures outside of Greece. But in spite of the conflicts, the Greek civilization went on to advance, unabated.