Bernini: The Genius Behind Italy's Most Impressive Fountains
Bernini: The Genius Behind Italy's Most Impressive Fountains
The Barcaccia, a beautiful fountain constructed at the base of the Trinita dei Monti in Piaza di Spagna, was Bernini's earliest water fountain. To this day, you will see Roman residents and vacation goers occupying this area to revel in chit chatter and being among other people. Bernini would without a doubt have been happy to know that people still flock to what has become one the city's most fashionable areas, that surrounding his amazing water fountain. The master's first fountain of his career was built at around 1630 at the request of Pope Urbano VIII. The fountain’s central theme is based on an enormous vessel slowly sinking into the Mediterranean Sea. Period reports dating back to the 16th century show that the fountain was built as a monument to those who lost their lives in the great flooding of the Tevere. Absenting himself from Italy only once in his life for a prolonged period of time, in 1665 Bernini traveled to France.
Modern Garden Decoration: Fountains and their Beginnings
Modern Garden Decoration: Fountains and their Beginnings A fountain, an amazing piece of engineering, not only supplies drinking water as it pours into a basin, it can also propel water high into the air for a noteworthy effect.
From the beginning, outdoor fountains were soley meant to serve as functional elements. Cities, towns and villages made use of nearby aqueducts or springs to supply them with potable water as well as water where they could bathe or wash. Up until the 19th century, fountains had to be more elevated and closer to a water supply, including aqueducts and reservoirs, in order to benefit from gravity which fed the fountains. Designers thought of fountains as wonderful additions to a living space, however, the fountains also served to provide clean water and honor the artist responsible for building it. Bronze or stone masks of wildlife and heroes were frequently seen on Roman fountains. Muslims and Moorish garden designers of the Middle Ages included fountains to re-create smaller versions of the gardens of paradise. The fountains seen in the Gardens of Versailles were meant to show the power over nature held by King Louis XIV of France. Seventeen and 18 century Popes sought to laud their positions by adding decorative baroque-style fountains at the point where restored Roman aqueducts arrived into the city.
Indoor plumbing became the key source of water by the end of the 19th century thereby limiting urban fountains to mere decorative elements. Fountains using mechanical pumps instead of gravity enabled fountains to bring recycled water into living spaces as well as create unique water effects.
Nowadays, fountains adorn public areas and are used to recognize individuals or events and fill recreational and entertainment needs.