Ancient Crete & The Minoans: Garden Fountains

Where did Large Outdoor Fountains Begin?
Where did Large Outdoor Fountains Begin? A water fountain is an architectural piece that pours water into a basin or jets it high into the air in order to supply drinking water, as well as for decorative purposes.From the onset, outdoor fountains were simply there to serve as functional elements. Water fountains were connected to a spring or aqueduct to provide drinkable water as well as bathing water for cities, townships and villages. Up to the late 19th century, water fountains had to be near an aqueduct or reservoir and higher than the fountain so that gravity could make the water move downwards or jet high into the air. Fountains were an excellent source of water, and also served to adorn living areas and celebrate the artist. Roman fountains usually depicted imagery of animals or heroes made of bronze or stone masks. During the Middle Ages, Muslim and Moorish garden planners included fountains to create smaller variations of the gardens of paradise. To demonstrate his prominence over nature, French King Louis XIV included fountains in the Garden of Versailles. Seventeen and 18 century Popes sought to laud their positions by including beautiful baroque-style fountains at the point where restored Roman aqueducts arrived into the city.
Since indoor plumbing became the norm 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. Fountains using mechanical pumps instead of gravity allowed fountains to bring recycled water into living spaces as well as create special water effects.
Decorating city parks, honoring people or events and entertaining, are some of the purposes of modern-day fountains.
Ancient Greece: The Origins of Outdoor Statue Design
Ancient Greece: The Origins of Outdoor Statue Design In the past, the vast majority of sculptors were compensated by the temples to adorn the involved columns and archways with renderings of the gods, but as the period came to a close it became more accepted for sculptors to portray regular people as well because many Greeks had begun to think of their religion as superstitious rather than sacred.