The History of Wall Fountains

The History of Wall Fountains Hundreds of ancient Greek documents were translated into Latin under the authority of the scholarly Pope Nicholas V, who ruled the Roman Catholic Church from 1397 to 1455. He undertook the embellishment of Rome to make it into the worthy seat of the Christian world. At the behest of the Pope, the Aqua Vergine, a ruined aqueduct which had transported clean drinking water into Rome from eight miles away, was reconditioned starting in 1453. Building a mostra, a grandiose commemorative fountain built by ancient Romans to memorialize the arrival point of an aqueduct, was a tradition revived by Nicholas V. The architect Leon Battista Alberti was commissioned by the Pope to construct a wall fountain where we now find the Trevi Fountain. The Trevi Fountain as well as the well-known baroque fountains found in the Piazza del Popolo and the Piazza Navona were eventually supplied with water from the modified aqueduct he had reconstructed.

Rome, Gian Bernini, And Water Features

Rome, Gian Bernini, And Water Features In Rome’s city center, there are many celebrated water fountains. Rome, Gian Bernini, Water Features 9824755543177580058.jpg

Rome, Gian Bernini, Water Features 9824755543177580058.jpg

One of the most distinguished sculptors and artists of the 17th century, Gian Lorenzo Bernini planned, conceived and constructed nearly all of them. Traces of his life's efforts are evident throughout the avenues of Rome simply because, in addition to his skills as a fountain designer, he was additionally a city builder. A famous Florentine sculptor, Bernini's father mentored his young son, and they eventually went to Rome to totally exhibit their artwork, mainly in the form of public water features and water features. An diligent employee, the young Bernini earned praise and patronage of various popes and influential designers. At first he was renowned for his sculpting skills. An authority in ancient Greek architecture, he utilized this knowledge as a starting point and melded it seamlessly with Roman marble, most famously in the Vatican. He was affected by many great artists, however, Michelangelo had the biggest effect on his work.

Attributes of Garden Sculpture in Archaic Greece

Attributes of Garden Sculpture in Archaic Greece The primitive Greeks manufactured the very first freestanding statuary, an impressive achievement as most sculptures up until then had been reliefs cut into walls and pillars. Kouros figures, sculptures of young, attractive male or female (kore) Greeks, made up the bulk of the statues. Representing beauty to the Greeks, the kouroi were crafted to appear stiff and always had foot in front; the males were healthy, sturdy, and nude. In 650 BC, life-size models of the kouroi began to be seen. The Archaic period was an extraordinary point of change for the Greeks as they extended into new modes of government, produced unique expressions of art, and achieved information of the people and cultures outside of Greece. Throughout this time and other times of historical tumult, clashes often took place, among them wars fought between city-states such as the Arcadian wars and the Spartan infiltration of Samos.

Bernini’s Early Italian Water Fountains

Bernini’s Early Italian Water Fountains One can find Bernini's very first masterpiece, the Barcaccia fountain, at the base of the Trinita dei Monti in Piaza di Spagna. This spot continues to be filled with Roman locals and visitors who like to exchanging gossip or going over the day's news. Today, the city streets surrounding Bernini's water fountain are a trendy area where people go to meet, something which the artist would have been pleased to learn. The master's very first water fountain of his professional life 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 reports dating back to the 16th century indicate that the fountain was constructed as a memorial to those who lost their lives in the great flooding of the Tevere. In 1665, France was graced by Bernini's only lengthy journey outside of Italy.