The Myriad Styles of Water Wall Fountains
The Myriad Styles of Water Wall Fountains Wall fountains are well suited to small verandas or gardens because they do not require too much space while also adding a bit of style and providing a great place to find peace and quiet.
Traditional, antique, modern, or Asian are just some of the designs you can choose from when looking for an outdoor wall fountain to your liking. It is possible to have one custom-made if you are not able to find a prefabricated fountain to suit you. Mounted and stand-alone fountains are readily available on the market. Small, self-contained models can be placed on a wall are known as mounted wall fountains. Wall fountains made of resin (resembling stone) or fiberglass are normally lightweight so they can be easily hung. Free-standing fountains, often referred to as floor fountains, are sizable, have a basin positioned on the ground and a smooth side which leans against a wall. Typically made of cast stone, this style of water feature is not restricted in weight.
It is a good idea to integrate a custom-made fountain into a new or existing wall, something often suggested by landscape experts. The basin and all the necessary plumbing are best installed by a trained mason. It is also essential to add a spout or fountain mask to build it into the wall. Custom-built wall fountains contribute to a unified look because they become part of the landscape rather than look like a later addition.
The Source of Today's Outdoor Garden Fountains
The Source of Today's Outdoor Garden Fountains Hundreds of ancient Greek texts were translated into Latin under the authority of the scholarly Pope Nicholas V, who led the Roman Catholic Church from 1397 to 1455. He undertook the embellishment of Rome to turn it into the model capital of the Christian world. Beginning in 1453, the ruined ancient Roman aqueduct known as the Aqua Vergine which had brought clean drinking water into the city from eight miles away, underwent reconstruction at the behest of the Pope. A mostra, a monumental dedicatory fountain built by ancient Romans to mark the point of entry of an aqueduct, was a practice which was restored by Nicholas V. The present-day site of the Trevi Fountain was formerly occupied by a wall fountain commissioned by the Pope and constructed by the architect Leon Battista Alberti. The aqueduct he had refurbished included modifications and extensions which eventually allowed it to supply water to the Trevi Fountain as well as the famed baroque fountains in the Piazza del Popolo and the Piazza Navona.
Modern Garden Decor: Outdoor Fountains and their Beginnings
Modern Garden Decor: Outdoor 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 an extraordinary effect.Originally, fountains only served a functional purpose. 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. Until the late 19th, century most water fountains functioned using gravity to allow water to flow or jet into the air, therefore, they needed a supply of water such as a reservoir or aqueduct located higher than the fountain. Fountains were not only used as a water source for drinking water, but also to adorn homes and celebrate the artist who created it. Animals or heroes made of bronze or stone masks were often times utilized 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. King Louis XIV of France wanted to illustrate his superiority over nature by including fountains in the Gardens of Versailles. Seventeen and 18 century Popes sought to exalt their positions by adding decorative baroque-style fountains at the point where restored Roman aqueducts arrived into the city.
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 switching the force of gravity with mechanical pumps.
Modern fountains are used to embellish public spaces, honor individuals or events, and enhance recreational and entertainment events.
Attributes of Outdoor Statuary in Archaic Greece
Attributes of Outdoor Statuary in Archaic Greece
The first freestanding sculpture was improved by the Archaic Greeks, a distinguished success since until then the sole carvings in existence were reliefs cut into walls and pillars. Most of these freestanding sculptures were what is known as kouros figures, statues of young, attractive male or female (kore) Greeks. The kouroi were considered by the Greeks to typify beauty and were sculpted with one foot leading and an uncompromising firmness to their forward-facing poses; the male statues were always strapping, brawny, and undressing. The kouroi became life-sized beginning in 650 BC. Throughout the Archaic period, a great time of change, the Greeks were developing new types of government, expressions of art, and a deeper comprehension of people and cultures outside Greece. Still, these clashes did little to hinder the progression of the Greek civilization.