Modern Garden Decor: Garden Fountains and their Roots
Modern Garden Decor: Garden Fountains and their Roots A water fountain is an architectural piece that pours water into a basin or jets it high into the air in order to provide drinking water, as well as for decorative purposes.
Originally, fountains only served a practical purpose. Water fountains were connected to a spring or aqueduct to supply drinkable water as well as bathing water for cities, townships and villages. Until the late nineteenth, century most water fountains operated using the force of gravity to allow water to flow or jet into the air, therefore, they needed a source of water such as a reservoir or aqueduct located higher than the fountain. Fountains were an optimal source of water, and also served to adorn living areas and celebrate the designer. Roman fountains usually depicted imagery of animals or heroes made of metal or stone masks. During the Middle Ages, Muslim and Moorish garden planners included fountains to create mini depictions of the gardens of paradise. King Louis XIV of France wanted to illustrate his dominion over nature by including fountains in the Gardens of Versailles. To mark the entryway of the restored Roman aqueducts, the Popes of the 17th and 18th centuries commissioned the building of baroque style fountains in the spot where the aqueducts arrived in the city of Rome
Since indoor plumbing became the standard 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 ornamental. The introduction of special water effects and the recycling of water were 2 things made possible by replacing gravity with mechanical pumps.
Decorating city parks, honoring people or events and entertaining, are some of the uses of modern-day fountains.
Taking Care Of Fountains
Taking Care Of Fountains Installing an outdoor wall fountain requires that you take into account the dimensions of the space where you are going to put it. In order to support its total weight, a solid wall is required.
Note that smaller areas or walls will require a lightweight fountain. An electrical socket close to the fountain is required to power the fountain. Most outdoor wall fountains include simple, step-by-step instructions according to the type of fountain. Generally, when you purchase an outdoor wall fountain, it will come in an easy-to-use kit that will include all the information needed to install it properly. The kit includes a submersible pump, hoses as well as the basin, or reservoir. Depending on its size, the basin can normally be hidden quite easily amongst the plants. Since outdoor wall fountains require little maintenance, the only thing left to do is clean it regularly.
Replenishing and purifying the water on a routine basis is very important. Debris such as branches, leaves or dirt should be cleaned up quickly. Protecting your outdoor wall fountain from the freezing winter weather is vital. Your pump may break when subjected to freezing water during the cold weather, so it is best to bring it indoors to prevent any damage. To sum up, your outdoor wall fountain will continue to be a great add-on to your garden if you keep it well looked after and well maintained.
Sculpture As a Staple of Classic Art in Historic Greece
Sculpture As a Staple of Classic Art in Historic Greece The primitive Greeks developed the 1st freestanding statuary, an amazing achievement as most sculptures up until then had been reliefs cut into walls and pillars. Youthful, ideal male or female (kore) Greeks were the subject matter of most of the statues, or kouros figures.
The kouroi, considered by the Greeks to symbolize beauty, had one foot extended out of a rigid forward-facing pose and the male statues were always nude, with a compelling, sturdy physique. Life-sized versions of the kouroi appeared beginning in 650 BC. A huge time of transformation for the Greeks, the Archaic period brought about newer forms of state, expressions of artwork, and a greater comprehension of people and cultures outside of Greece. And yet these disputes did not stop the expansion of the Greek civilization. {