A Brief History of the First Garden Water Fountains
A Brief History of the First Garden Water Fountains Water fountains were initially practical in purpose, used to convey water from canals or springs to towns and villages, providing the inhabitants with fresh water to drink, bathe, and cook with. In the days before electricity, the spray of fountains was powered by gravity exclusively, commonly using an aqueduct or water source located far away in the surrounding mountains. Frequently used as monuments and commemorative structures, water fountains have influenced men and women from all over the globe all through the ages. If you saw the first fountains, you would not recognize them as fountains. The first accepted water fountain was a natural stone basin created that was used as a container for drinking water and ceremonial functions. The initial stone basins are presumed to be from about 2000 BC. The first fountains put to use in ancient civilizations depended on gravity to regulate the circulation of water through the fountain. These historic fountains were built to be functional, usually situated along aqueducts, creeks and rivers to supply drinking water. Fountains with ornate decoration started to show up in Rome in approximately 6 B.C., commonly gods and animals, made with stone or copper-base alloy. The remarkable aqueducts of Rome delivered water to the eye-catching public fountains, many of which you can go see today.Rome, Gian Lorenzo Bernini, And Statuary Fountains
Rome, Gian Lorenzo Bernini, And Statuary Fountains There are many famed Roman fountains in its city center. One of the greatest sculptors and artists of the 17th century, almost all of them were planned, conceived and constructed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini. Also a city builder, he had skills as a fountain developer, and remnants of his life's work are evident throughout the streets of Rome. Bernini's father, a renowned Florentine sculptor, mentored his young son, and they ultimately moved to Rome, in order to fully express their art, primarily in the form of public water fountains and water features. The young Bernini received praise from Popes and influential artists alike, and was an diligent employee. His sculpture was originally his claim to glory. Working gracefully with Roman marble, he made use of a base of experience in the historical Greek architecture, most obviously in the Vatican. Though he was influenced by many, Michelangelo had the most serious impact on him, both personally and professionally.
Where did Garden Water Fountains Begin?
Where did Garden Water Fountains Begin? The incredible construction of a fountain allows it to provide clean water or shoot water high into air for dramatic effect and it can also serve as an excellent design feature to complement your home.The main purpose of a fountain was originally strictly functional. 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. Up to the late 19th century, water fountains had to be near an aqueduct or reservoir and more elevated than the fountain so that gravity could make the water flow down or shoot high into the air. Fountains were not only used as a water source for drinking water, but also to decorate homes and celebrate the artist who created it. Roman fountains often depicted imagery of animals or heroes made of bronze or stone masks. Muslims and Moorish landscaping designers of the Middle Ages included fountains to re-create smaller models of the gardens of paradise. The fountains found in the Gardens of Versailles were meant 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 construction of baroque style fountains in the spot where the aqueducts arrived in the city of Rome
The end of the nineteenth century saw the rise in usage of indoor plumbing to provide drinking water, so urban fountains were relegated to strictly decorative elements. Gravity was substituted by mechanical pumps in order to enable fountains to bring in clean water and allow for beautiful water displays.
These days, fountains decorate public areas and are used to recognize individuals or events and fill recreational and entertainment needs.