The Father Of Rome's Fountain Design And Style
The Father Of Rome's Fountain Design And Style There are many famous fountains in Rome’s city center. One of the best ever sculptors and artists of the 17th century, almost all of them were planned, conceived and constructed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini. His skills as a water feature creator and also as a city designer, are evident throughout the roads of Rome. To fully exhibit their art, chiefly in the form of public water features and water fountains, Bernini's father, a renowned Florentine sculptor, mentored his young son, and they eventually moved in Rome. The young Bernini earned encouragement from Popes and influential artists alike, and was an diligent worker. His sculpture was initially his claim to celebrity. An expert in classic Greek engineering, he utilized this knowledge as a foundation and melded it flawlessly with Roman marble, most famously in the Vatican. Although many artists had an influence on his work, Michelangelo had the most profound effect.
Where did Fountains Originate from?
Where did Fountains Originate from? The incredible architecture of a fountain allows it to provide clean water or shoot water high into air for dramatic effect and it can also serve as an excellent design feature to complement your home. Originally, fountains only served a functional purpose. 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, including aqueducts and reservoirs, in order to benefit from gravity which fed the fountains. Fountains were an excellent source of water, and also served to adorn living areas and celebrate the designer. The main materials used by the Romans to build their fountains were bronze or stone masks, mostly depicting animals or heroes. To replicate the gardens of paradise, Muslim and Moorish garden planners of the Middle Ages introduced fountains to their designs. To show his dominance over nature, French King Louis XIV included fountains in the Garden 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 entered the city of Rome
Since indoor plumbing became the norm 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 swapping gravity with mechanical pumps.
Contemporary fountains are used to embellish public spaces, honor individuals or events, and enhance recreational and entertainment events.