Bernini's First Masterpieces
Bernini's First Masterpieces One can see Bernini's very first masterpiece, the Barcaccia water fountain, at the foot of the Trinita dei Monti in Piaza di Spagna. This area is still filled with Roman locals and visitors who like to exchanging gossip or going over the day's news. Today, the city streets surrounding Bernini's water fountain are a trendy place where people go to gather, something which the artist would have been pleased to learn. The master's very first water fountain of his career was built at around 1630 at the behest of Pope Urbano VIII. A large boat slowly sinking into the Mediterranean is the fountain's central theme. The great flooding of the Tevere that blanketed the whole region with water in the 16th was commemorated by this momentous fountain as recorded by documents dating back to this time. In 1665, France was graced by Bernini's only extended journey outside of Italy.Where did Garden Water Fountains Come From?
Where did Garden Water Fountains Come From? The incredible architecture of a fountain allows it to provide clean water or shoot water high into air for dramatic effect and it can also serve as an excellent design feature to complement your home.Pure functionality was the original purpose of fountains. 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.
Up until the nineteenth, fountains had to be higher and closer to a water supply, such as aqueducts and reservoirs, in order to benefit from gravity which fed the fountains. Fountains were an excellent source of water, and also served to decorate living areas and celebrate the designer. Animals or heroes made of bronze or stone masks were often times used by Romans to beautify their fountains. During the Middle Ages, Muslim and Moorish garden designers included fountains in their designs to mimic 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 laud their positions by adding beautiful baroque-style fountains at the point where restored Roman aqueducts arrived into the city.
The end of the 19th century saw the rise in usage of indoor plumbing to provide drinking water, so urban fountains were relegated to strictly decorative elements. The creation of special water effects and the recycling of water were two things made possible by replacing gravity with mechanical pumps.
Modern fountains are used to embellish community spaces, honor individuals or events, and enrich recreational and entertainment events.