Modern Garden Decoration: Garden Fountains and their Roots
Modern Garden Decoration: Garden Fountains and their Roots A water fountain is an architectural piece that pours water into a basin or jets it high into the air in order to provide drinkable water, as well as for decorative purposes.The central purpose of a fountain was originally strictly practical. Inhabitants of urban areas, townships and small towns utilized them as a source of drinking water and a place to wash up, which meant that fountains needed to be linked to nearby aqueduct or spring. Used until the 19th 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 the power of gravity.
Designers thought of fountains as wonderful additions to a living space, however, the fountains also served to provide clean water and celebrate the artist 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 mimic the gardens of paradise. The fountains seen in the Gardens of Versailles were supposed to show the power over nature held by King Louis XIV of France. To mark the entrance of the restored Roman aqueducts, the Popes of the 17th and 18th centuries commissioned the building of baroque style fountains in the spot where the aqueducts entered the city of Rome
Urban fountains created at the end of the nineteenth functioned only as decorative and celebratory adornments since indoor plumbing provided the essential drinking water. Gravity was substituted by mechanical pumps in order to enable fountains to bring in clean water and allow for amazing water displays.
Beautifying city parks, honoring people or events and entertaining, are some of the uses of modern-day fountains.
Builders of the First Water Features
Builders of the First Water Features Water feature designers were multi-talented people from the 16th to the later part of the 18th century, often serving as architects, sculptors, artisans, engineers and highly educated scholars all in one person. During the Renaissance, Leonardo da Vinci exemplified the creator as an imaginative genius, inventor and scientific expert. The forces of nature inspired him to explore the properties and motion of water, and due to his fascination, he systematically recorded his experiences in his now renowned notebooks.
Early Italian fountain engineers transformed private villa settings into amazing water displays complete with emblematic meaning and natural elegance by combining imagination with hydraulic and gardening talent. The humanist Pirro Ligorio supplied the vision behind the wonders in Tivoli and was distinguished for his skill in archeology, architecture and garden design. For the various estates close to Florence, other fountain engineers were well versed in humanistic subjects as well as ancient technical texts, masterminding the excellent water marbles, water highlights and water jokes.