Where did Fountains Originate from?
Where did Fountains Originate from? A water fountain is an architectural piece that pours water into a basin or jets it high into the air in order to supply drinkable water, as well as for decorative purposes. The primary purpose of a fountain was originally strictly functional. 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 had to be linked to nearby aqueduct or spring. 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 utilized as a water source for drinking water, but also to adorn homes and celebrate the artist who created it. Roman fountains often depicted images of animals or heroes made of metal or stone masks. To illustrate the gardens of paradise, Muslim and Moorish garden planners of the Middle Ages introduced fountains to their designs. Fountains enjoyed a significant role in the Gardens of Versailles, all part of French King Louis XIV’s desire to exert his power over nature. The Popes of the 17th and 18th centuries were extolled with baroque style fountains constructed to mark the arrival points of Roman aqueducts.
Urban fountains created at the end of the 19th century served only as decorative and celebratory adornments since indoor plumbing provided the necessary drinking water. Impressive water effects and recycled water were made possible by switching the power of gravity with mechanical pumps.
Modern-day fountains function mostly as decoration for open spaces, to honor individuals or events, and compliment entertainment and recreational gatherings.
The Original Fountain Designers
The Original Fountain Designers Multi-talented people, fountain artists from the 16th to the late 18th century often worked as architects, sculptors, artists, engineers and cultivated scholars all in one.
Leonardo da Vinci as a creative master, inventor and scientific virtuoso exemplified this Renaissance creator. With his immense curiosity regarding the forces of nature, he investigated the properties and movement of water and carefully annotated his findings in his now recognized notebooks. Early Italian fountain engineers transformed private villa settings into inventive water displays full with emblematic meaning and natural beauty by coupling imagination with hydraulic and gardening experience. Known for his incredible skill in archeology, design and garden design, Pirro Ligorio, the humanist, offered the vision behind the magnificence in Tivoli. Well versed in humanistic subjects and classical scientific readings, some other fountain creators were masterminding the phenomenal water marbles, water attributes and water antics for the countless mansions near Florence.