The Godfather Of Roman Water Features
The Godfather Of Roman Water Features There are countless famed Roman water features in its city center. One of the best ever sculptors and artists of the 17th century, nearly all of them were planned, conceptualized and constructed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini. Also a city designer, he had capabilities as a fountain developer, and marks of his life's work are noticeable throughout the roads 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 compliments from Popes and influential artists alike, and was an excellent employee. His sculpture was originally his claim to glory. He made use of his expertise and melded it gracefully with Roman marble, most notably in the Vatican. Though he was influenced by many, Michelangelo had the most profound impact on him, both personally and professionally.
Your Wall Water Fountain: Maintenance & Routine Service
Your Wall Water Fountain: Maintenance & Routine Service Installing an outdoor wall fountain demands that you take into account the dimensions of the space where you are going to put it. It will require a very strong wall to support its overall weight. So spaces or walls which are smaller in size will most probably require something lightweight. In order to operate the fountain, an electrical socket will need to be close by.
Since there are many types of outdoor wall fountains, installation procedures vary, but the majority include user-friendly instructions. The typical outdoor wall feature is available in an easy-to-use kit that comes with everything you need and more to properly install it. The kit includes a submersible pump, hoses as well as the basin, or reservoir. The basin, if it's not too big, can easily be hiddenin your garden among the plants. Other than the regular cleaning, little maintenance is required once your outdoor wall fountain is fitted.
Replace and clean the water on a regular schedule. Rubbish such as twigs, leaves or dirt should be cleared away quickly. Extremely cold temperatures can damage your outdoor wall fountain so be sure to protect it during the winter months. Your pump may crack when exposed to freezing water during the wintertime, so it is best to bring it indoors to avoid any damage. Simply put, your outdoor fountain will be around for many years to come with the proper care and maintenance.
Bernini's Early Masterpieces
Bernini's Early Masterpieces The Barcaccia, a stunning water fountain constructed at the base of the Trinita dei Monti in Piaza di Spagna, was Bernini's earliest fountain. This spot continues to be filled with Roman locals and visitors who like to exchanging gossip or going over the day's news. One of the city’s most fashionable meeting spots are the streets surrounding Bernini's fountain, which would certainly have brought a smile to the great Bernini. In about 1630, the great artist designed the first fountain of his career at the behest of Pope Ubano VIII. People can now see the fountain as an illustration of a great ship gradually sinking into the Mediterranean Sea. The great 16th century flooding of the Tevere, which left the entire region inundated with water, was memorialized by the fountain according to documents from the time. In 1665 Bernini traveled to France, in what was to be his sole extended absence from Italy.Contemporary Garden Decoration: Garden Fountains and their Beginnings
Contemporary Garden Decoration: Garden Fountains and their Beginnings 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.Originally, fountains only served a practical purpose. People in cities, towns and villages received their drinking water, as well as water to bathe and wash, from aqueducts or springs in the area. Until the late nineteenth, century most water fountains functioned using gravity to allow water to flow or jet into the air, therefore, they needed a source 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. 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 models of the gardens of paradise. King Louis XIV of France wanted to illustrate his superiority over nature by including fountains in the Gardens of Versailles. 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 location where the restored Roman aqueducts entered the city.
Indoor plumbing became the key source of water by the end of the 19th century thereby restricting urban fountains to mere decorative elements. Fountains using mechanical pumps instead of gravity helped fountains to deliver recycled water into living spaces as well as create special water effects.
Modern-day fountains function mostly as decoration for public spaces, to honor individuals or events, and enhance entertainment and recreational activities.