Bernini’s Very First Italian Water Fountains
Bernini’s Very First Italian Water Fountains One can find Bernini's very first masterpiece, the Barcaccia fountain, at the base of the Trinita dei Monti in Piaza di Spagna. To this day, this spot is filled with Roman locals and tourists alike who enjoy conversation and each other's company. The streets surrounding his water fountain have come to be one of the city’s most fashionable gathering places, something which would certainly have pleased Bernini himself. In about 1630, the great master designed the very first water fountain of his career at the behest of Pope Ubano VIII. A large boat slowly sinking into the Mediterranean is the fountain's main theme.
The great flooding of the Tevere that covered the whole region with water in the 16th was memorialized by this momentous fountain as recorded by reports dating back to this period. In 1665, France was graced by Bernini's only extended journey outside of Italy.
When and Where Did Water Features Originate?
When and Where Did Water Features Originate? Himself a learned man, Pope Nicholas V led the Roman Catholic Church from 1397 till 1455 and was responsible for the translation of hundreds of age-old texts from their original Greek into Latin. In order to make Rome worthy of being the capital of the Christian world, the Pope resolved to embellish the beauty of the city. At the bidding of the Pope, the Aqua Vergine, a damaged aqueduct which had carried clean drinking water into Rome from eight miles away, was renovated starting in 1453. The ancient Roman custom of marking the arrival point of an aqueduct with an imposing celebratory fountain, also known as a mostra, was restored by Nicholas V. At the bidding of the Pope, architect Leon Battista Alberti undertook the construction of a wall fountain in the place where we now find the Trevi Fountain. The water which eventually furnished the Trevi Fountain as well as the acclaimed baroque fountains in the Piazza del Popolo and Piazza Navona came from the modified aqueduct which he had renovated.The Many Designs of Wall Water Fountains
The Many Designs of Wall Water Fountains Wall fountains are well suited to small patios or yards because they do not take up too much space while also adding a touch of style and providing a great place to find peace and quiet. Whatever style of outdoor wall fountain you are looking for whether it be traditional, contemporary, classic, or Asian you will undoubtedly find the one you like most. Your tastes dictate the type you buy so while there may not be a prefabricated fountain to suit you, you do have the option of having a custom made one. There are two distinct sorts of fountains you can buy: mounted and free-standing. Mounted wall fountains are small and self-contained variations which can be hung on a wall. Normally made of resin (to resemble stone) or fiber glass, these types of fountains are lightweight and easy to hang. In large free-standing fountains, otherwise referred to as wall fountains, the basin is situated on the ground with the flat side positioned against a wall. Typically made of cast stone, this type of water feature is not limited in weight.
Custom-made fountains which can be integrated into a new or existing wall are often prescribed by landscaping designers. A skilled mason is necessary to install the water basin against the wall and correctly install all the plumbing inside or behind the wall. You will need to integrate a spout or fountain mask into the wall. A tailor-made wall fountain blends into the landscape instead of standing out because it was a later addition, which contributes to a cohesive appearance.
Where did Fountains Begin?
Where did Fountains Begin? A fountain, an amazing piece of engineering, not only supplies drinking water as it pours into a basin, it can also launch water high into the air for a noteworthy effect.Pure practicality was the original purpose of fountains. 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. Used until the 19th century, in order for fountains to flow or shoot up into the air, their source of water such as reservoirs or aqueducts, had to be higher than the water fountain in order to benefit from the power of gravity. Artists thought of fountains as wonderful additions to a living space, however, the fountains also served to provide clean water and honor the designer responsible for building it.
The main materials used by the Romans to create their fountains were bronze or stone masks, mostly depicting animals or heroes. To illustrate the gardens of paradise, Muslim and Moorish garden planners of the Middle Ages introduced fountains to their designs. The fountains seen in the Gardens of Versailles were intended to show the power over nature held by King Louis XIV of France. The Romans of the 17th and 18th centuries manufactured baroque decorative fountains to exalt the Popes who commissioned them as well as to mark the spot where the restored Roman aqueducts entered the city.
The end of the nineteenth century saw the rise in usage of indoor plumbing to provide drinking water, so urban fountains were relegated to purely decorative elements. The introduction of unique water effects and the recycling of water were 2 things made possible by replacing gravity with mechanical pumps.
Beautifying city parks, honoring people or events and entertaining, are some of the purposes of modern-day fountains.