Bernini’s Very First Italian Water Fountains
Bernini’s Very First Italian Water Fountains
Bernini's earliest fountain, named Barcaccia, is a masterful work of art seen at the foot of the Trinita dei Monti in Piaza di Spagna. To this day, you will find Roman locals and vacation goers filling this space to revel in chit chatter and being among other people. Today, the city streets around Bernini's fountain are a trendy place where people go to meet, something which the artist would have been pleased to learn. The master's first fountain of his career was built at around 1630 at the behest of Pope Urbano VIII. The fountain’s central theme is based on an enormous ship slowly sinking into the Mediterranean. Period writings dating back to the 16th century indicate that the fountain was built as a memorial to those who lost their lives in the great flooding of the Tevere. In 1665 Bernini traveled to France, in what was to be his only extended absence from Italy.
Where did Fountains Originate from?
Where did Fountains Originate from? 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. The main purpose of a fountain was originally strictly functional. Cities, towns and villages made use of nearby aqueducts or springs to provide them with potable water as well as water where they could bathe or wash. Up until the 19th century, fountains had to be more elevated and closer to a water source, such as aqueducts and reservoirs, in order to take advantage of gravity which fed the fountains. Artists thought of fountains as amazing additions to a living space, however, the fountains also served to supply clean water and honor the designer responsible for creating it. Roman fountains usually depicted imagery of animals or heroes made of bronze or stone masks. During the Middle Ages, Muslim and Moorish garden designers included fountains in their designs to re-create the gardens of paradise. King Louis XIV of France wanted to demonstrate his dominion over nature by including fountains in the Gardens of Versailles. Seventeen and 18 century Popes sought to extol their positions by including beautiful baroque-style fountains at the point where restored Roman aqueducts arrived into the city.
The end of the nineteenth century saw the increase in usage of indoor plumbing to provide drinking water, so urban fountains were relegated to purely decorative elements. Amazing water effects and recycled water were made possible by replacing the force of gravity with mechanical pumps.
Modern fountains are used to embellish community spaces, honor individuals or events, and enrich recreational and entertainment events.