The Genesis Of Fountains
The Genesis Of Fountains A fountain, an incredible piece of engineering, not only supplies drinking water as it pours into a basin, it can also propel water high into the air for a noteworthy effect.The primary purpose of a fountain was originally strictly functional. Water fountains were linked to a spring or aqueduct to provide potable water as well as bathing water for cities, townships and villages.
Used until the nineteenth century, in order for fountains to flow or shoot up into the air, their origin of water such as reservoirs or aqueducts, had to be higher than the water fountain in order to benefit from gravity. Serving as an element of adornment and celebration, fountains also provided clean, fresh drinking water. Animals or heroes made of bronze or stone masks were often times utilized by Romans to decorate their fountains. Muslims and Moorish landscaping designers of the Middle Ages included fountains to re-create smaller versions of the gardens of paradise. King Louis XIV of France wanted to demonstrate his dominion over nature by including fountains in the Gardens of Versailles. Seventeen and 18 century Popes sought to extol their positions by adding decorative baroque-style fountains at the point where restored Roman aqueducts arrived into the city.
Indoor plumbing became the key source of water by the end of the 19th century thereby limiting urban fountains to mere decorative elements. Amazing water effects and recycled water were made possible by replacing the power of gravity with mechanical pumps.
Decorating city parks, honoring people or events and entertaining, are some of the functions of modern-day fountains.
Garden Water Fountain Builders Through History
Garden Water Fountain Builders Through History Fountain designers were multi-talented people from the 16th to the later part of the 18th century, often serving as architects, sculptors, artists, engineers and cultivated scholars all in one person.
Leonardo da Vinci, a Renaissance artist, was renowned as a ingenious master, inventor and scientific virtuoso. With his immense fascination concerning the forces of nature, he researched the qualities and motion of water and systematically recorded his observations in his now recognized notebooks. Early Italian water feature builders altered private villa configurations into ingenious water exhibits complete with emblematic meaning and natural charm by combining creativity with hydraulic and gardening expertise. The humanist Pirro Ligorio supplied the vision behind the splendors in Tivoli and was distinguished for his virtuosity in archeology, architecture and garden concepts. Masterminding the excellent water marbles, water attributes and water jokes for the numerous properties in the vicinity of Florence, other water feature creators were well versed in humanist issues and ancient scientific texts.