Archaic Greek Artistry: Garden Statuary
Archaic Greek Artistry: Garden Statuary Archaic Greeks were well known for creating the first freestanding statuary; up till then, most carvings were made out of walls and pillars as reliefs. Kouros figures, sculptures of adolescent, handsome male or female (kore) Greeks, made up the greater part of the statues. Regarded as by Greeks to represent splendour, the kouroi were structured into inflexible, forward facing poses with one foot outstretched, and the male statues were always nude, brawny, and athletic. In around 650 BC, the varieties of the kouroi became life-sized. The Archaic period was tumultuous for the Greeks as they progressed into more sophisticated forms of federal government and art, and acquired more data about the peoples and societies outside of Greece.
Throughout this time and other durations of historic tumultuousness, encounters often took place, most notably battles fought amongst city-states such as the Arcadian wars and the Spartan invasion of Samos.
Where did Landscape Fountains Originate from?
Where did Landscape Fountains Originate from?
A fountain, an amazing piece of engineering, not only supplies drinking water as it pours into a basin, it can also launch water high into the air for a noteworthy effect. From the beginning, outdoor fountains were soley meant to serve as functional elements. Inhabitants of cities, townships and small towns used them as a source of drinking water and a place to wash, which meant that fountains needed to be connected to nearby aqueduct or spring. Used until the nineteenth century, in order for fountains to flow or shoot up into the air, their origin of water such as reservoirs or aqueducts, had to be higher than the water fountain in order to benefit from gravity. Fountains were not only used as a water source for drinking water, but also to adorn homes and celebrate the designer who created it. Bronze or stone masks of wildlife 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. Fountains played a significant role in the Gardens of Versailles, all part of French King Louis XIV’s desire to exercise his power over nature. The Popes of the 17th and 18th centuries were glorified with baroque style fountains made to mark the arrival points of Roman aqueducts.
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. Fountains using mechanical pumps instead of gravity enabled fountains to provide recycled water into living spaces as well as create special water effects.
Nowadays, fountains adorn public spaces and are used to honor individuals or events and fill recreational and entertainment needs.