From Where Did Water Fountains Emerge?
From Where Did Water Fountains Emerge? Himself a learned man, Pope Nicholas V headed the Roman Catholic Church from 1397 till 1455 and was responsible for the translation of hundreds of age-old texts from their original Greek into Latin.
It was important for him to beautify the city of Rome to make it worthy of being known as the capital of the Christian world. Reconstruction of the Acqua Vergine, a ruined Roman aqueduct which had transported fresh drinking water into the city from eight miles away, began in 1453 at the bidding of the Pope. A mostra, a monumental dedicatory fountain built by ancient Romans to mark the point of entry of an aqueduct, was a custom which was restored by Nicholas V. The architect Leon Battista Alberti was directed by the Pope to build a wall fountain where we now find the Trevi Fountain. The water which eventually provided the Trevi Fountain as well as the renown baroque fountains in the Piazza del Popolo and Piazza Navona came from the modified aqueduct which he had renovated.
Sculpture As a Staple of Vintage Art in Ancient Greece
Sculpture As a Staple of Vintage Art in Ancient Greece Archaic Greeks were well known for creating the first freestanding statuary; up until then, most carvings were formed out of walls and pillars as reliefs. Most of the freestanding statues were of young, winsome male or female (kore) Greeks and are known as kouros figures. The kouroi were believed by the Greeks to represent beauty and were sculpted with one foot leading and an uncompromising stiffness to their forward-facing poses; the male statues were always strapping, brawny, and nude. Life-sized versions of the kouroi appeared beginning in 650 BC. The Archaic period was an extraordinary time of change for the Greeks as they extended into new forms of government, produced unique expressions of art, and achieved knowledge of the men and women and cultures outside of Greece. The Arcadian wars, the Spartan invasion of Samos, and other wars between city-states are examples of the kinds of conflicts that emerged frequently, which is consistent with other times of historical transformation.
Contemporary Garden Decoration: Large Outdoor Water Fountains and their Roots
Contemporary Garden Decoration: Large Outdoor Water Fountains and their Roots The dramatic or decorative effect of a fountain is just one of the purposes it fulfills, as well as supplying drinking water and adding a decorative touch to your property. Pure practicality was the original role of fountains. Water fountains were linked to a spring or aqueduct to provide drinkable water as well as bathing water for cities, townships and villages. Until the late 19th, century most water fountains operated using the force of gravity to allow water to flow or jet into the air, therefore, they needed a source of water such as a reservoir or aqueduct located higher than the fountain. Artists thought of fountains as wonderful additions to a living space, however, the fountains also served to supply clean water and celebrate the designer responsible for building it. The main components used by the Romans to build their fountains were bronze or stone masks, mostly depicting animals or heroes. During the Middle Ages, Muslim and Moorish garden designers included fountains in their designs to mimic the gardens of paradise. Fountains played a significant role in the Gardens of Versailles, all part of French King Louis XIV’s desire to exert his power over nature. 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
Since indoor plumbing became the standard of the day for fresh, drinking water, by the end of the 19th century urban fountains were no longer needed for this purpose and they became purely ornamental. Impressive water effects and recycled water were made possible by replacing the power of gravity with mechanical pumps.
Beautifying city parks, honoring people or events and entertaining, are some of the purposes of modern-day fountains.