The Origins Of Outdoor Fountains

The Origins Of Outdoor Fountains A water fountain is an architectural piece that pours water into a basin or jets it high into the air in order to supply drinkable water, as well as for decorative purposes.

Pure functionality was the original role of fountains. Residents of urban areas, townships and small towns used them as a source of drinking water and a place to wash, which meant that fountains had to be connected to nearby aqueduct or spring. Up until the nineteenth, fountains had to be higher and closer to a water source, such as aqueducts and reservoirs, in order to take advantage of gravity which fed the fountains. Fountains were not only used as a water source for drinking water, but also to decorate homes and celebrate the designer who created it. Bronze or stone masks of animals and heroes were commonly seen on Roman fountains. To replicate the gardens of paradise, Muslim and Moorish garden planners of the Middle Ages added fountains to their designs. The fountains seen in the Gardens of Versailles were meant to show the power over nature held by King Louis XIV of France. The Popes of the 17th and 18th centuries were extolled with baroque style fountains constructed to mark the place of entry of Roman aqueducts.Origins Outdoor Fountains 59123463634267059.jpg

The end of the nineteenth century saw the rise in usage of indoor plumbing to supply drinking water, so urban fountains were relegated to purely decorative elements. Fountains using mechanical pumps instead of gravity enabled fountains to bring recycled water into living spaces as well as create unique water effects.

Modern-day fountains function mostly as decoration for public spaces, to honor individuals or events, and enhance entertainment and recreational gatherings.

Ancient Fountain Artists

Ancient Fountain Artists Often serving as architects, sculptors, artists, engineers and cultivated scholars all in one, from the 16th to the later part of the 18th century, fountain designers were multi-faceted people, Leonardo da Vinci, a Renaissance artist, was renowned as a inventive intellect, inventor and scientific virtuoso. He carefully registered his findings in his now much celebrated notebooks about his investigations into the forces of nature and the attributes and mobility of water. Early Italian fountain designers altered private villa settings into innovative water displays full with symbolic meaning and natural elegance by coupling imagination with hydraulic and gardening talent. The magnificence in Tivoli were created by the humanist Pirro Ligorio, who was widely known for his capabilities in archeology, engineering and garden design. Other fountain engineers, masterminding the extraordinary water marbles, water attributes and water antics for the many mansions in the vicinity of Florence, were well-versed in humanist subject areas and time-honored scientific readings.
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The Outcome of the Norman Conquest on Anglo-Saxon Garden Design The Anglo-Saxon way of life was drastically changed by the introduction of the Normans in the later eleventh century.Architecture and gardening were attributes that the Normans excelled in, trumping that of the Anglo-Saxons at the time of the occupation.... read more


The First Outdoor Water Fountains Water fountains were initially practical in purpose, used to bring water from canals or springs to cities and villages, supplying the residents with clean water to drink, bathe, and cook with.... read more


Bernini: The Master of Italy's Greatest Water Fountains Bernini's earliest fountain, named Barcaccia, is a breath taking work of art seen at the bottom of the Trinita dei Monti in Piaza di Spagna.To this day, you will see Roman residents and vacation goers occupying this space to revel in chit chatter and being among other people.... read more


Ancient Crete & The Minoans: Wall Fountains On the Greek island of Crete, digs have unearthed conduits of numerous types.In conjunction with supplying water, they dispersed water which accumulated from deluges or waste material.... read more


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