The Genesis Of Garden Fountains
The Genesis Of Garden Fountains A water fountain is an architectural piece that pours water into a basin or jets it high into the air in order to provide drinking water, as well as for decorative purposes.
From the onset, outdoor fountains were simply there to serve as functional elements. Cities, towns and villages made use of nearby aqueducts or springs to provide them with drinking water as well as water where they could bathe or wash. Used until the 19th century, in order for fountains to flow or shoot up into the air, their source of water such as reservoirs or aqueducts, had to be higher than the water fountain in order to benefit from the power of gravity. Serving as an element of adornment and celebration, fountains also generated clean, fresh drinking water. Animals or heroes made of bronze or stone masks were often times used by Romans to beautify their fountains. To depict the gardens of paradise, Muslim and Moorish garden planners of the Middle Ages added fountains to their designs. To show his dominance over nature, French King Louis XIV included fountains in the Garden of Versailles. To mark the entrance 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 arrived in 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. Fountains using mechanical pumps instead of gravity allowed fountains to provide recycled water into living spaces as well as create unique water effects.
Modern-day fountains serve mostly as decoration for open spaces, to honor individuals or events, and enhance entertainment and recreational activities.
Bernini's Outdoor Fountains
Bernini's Outdoor Fountains
There are countless renowned fountains in the city center of Rome. Gian Lorenzo Bernini, one of the greatest sculptors and artists of the 17th century designed, conceptualized and built almost all of them. Also a city designer, he had abilities as a water fountain developer, and traces of his life's work are evident throughout the streets of Rome. Eventually moving to Rome to completely show their artwork, chiefly in the form of community water fountains, Bernini’s father, a renowned Florentine sculptor, mentored his young son. An diligent worker, the young Bernini earned praise and the backing of many popes and influential designers. At the beginning he was recognized for his sculptural abilities. Working faultlessly with Roman marble, he utilized a base of experience in the classic Greek architecture, most obviously in the Vatican. Though many artists had an impact on his work, Michelangelo had the most profound effect.