The Godfather Of Roman Outdoor Fountains
The Godfather Of Roman Outdoor Fountains
There are countless popular water features in the city center of Rome. Gian Lorenzo Bernini, one of the best sculptors and artists of the 17th century developed, conceived and built nearly all of them. Also a city builder, he had capabilities as a water feature designer, and remnants of his life's work are obvious throughout the streets of Rome. A famous Florentine sculptor, Bernini's father guided his young son, and they ultimately went to Rome to fully express their art, mainly in the form of community water features and water fountains. An excellent employee, the young Bernini acquired compliments and the backing of many popes and influential artists. He was initially renowned for his sculpture. Most particularly in the Vatican, he made use of a base of experience in classic Greek architecture and melded it flawlessly with Roman marble. Though many artists had an influence on his work, Michelangelo had the most profound effect.
Where did Fountains Originate from?
Where did Fountains Originate from? A fountain, an incredible piece of engineering, not only supplies drinking water as it pours into a basin, it can also propel water high into the air for a noteworthy effect.From the onset, outdoor fountains were simply there to serve as functional elements.
Inhabitants of urban areas, townships and small towns utilized 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. Up to the late nineteenth century, water fountains had to be near an aqueduct or reservoir and higher than the fountain so that gravity could make the water move down or jet high into the air. Serving as an element of adornment and celebration, fountains also supplied clean, fresh drinking water. The main components used by the Romans to build their fountains were bronze or stone masks, mostly depicting animals or heroes. During the Middle Ages, Muslim and Moorish garden planners incorporated fountains to create smaller variations of the gardens of paradise. King Louis XIV of France wanted to demonstrate 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 construction of baroque style fountains in the spot where the aqueducts arrived in the city of Rome
Urban fountains created at the end of the 19th century served only as decorative and celebratory ornaments since indoor plumbing provided the essential drinking water. Impressive water effects and recycled water were made possible by replacing the force of gravity with mechanical pumps.
Modern-day fountains function mostly as decoration for community spaces, to honor individuals or events, and compliment entertainment and recreational events.