Bernini's Earliest Showpieces

Bernini's Earliest Showpieces The Barcaccia, Bernini's very first water fountain, is a magnificent chef d'oeuvre built at the base of the Trinita dei Monti in Piaza di Spagna. To this day, you will see Roman locals and vacation goers occupying this space to revel in chit chatter and being among other people. The streets surrounding his water fountain have come to be one of the city’s most fashionable meeting places, something which would certainly have pleased Bernini himself. Dating back to around 1630, Pope Urbano VIII commissioned what was to be the earliest fountain of the master's career. People can now see the fountain as a depiction of a commanding ship slowly sinking into the Mediterranean Sea. Period writings dating back to the 16th century indicate that the fountain was built as a memorial to those who lost their lives in the great flooding of the Tevere. In 1665 Bernini traveled to France, in what was to be his only lengthy absence from Italy.

The Origins Of Garden Fountains

The Origins Of Garden Fountains The dramatic or decorative effect of a fountain is just one of the purposes it fulfills, in addition to providing drinking water and adding a decorative touch to your property.Origins Garden Fountains 81188249770994.jpg

From the beginning, outdoor fountains were simply there to serve as functional elements. Residents of urban areas, townships and small towns used them as a source of drinking water and a place to wash, which meant that fountains needed to be linked to nearby aqueduct or spring. Up until the 19th century, fountains had to be more elevated and closer to a water supply, such as aqueducts and reservoirs, in order to take advantage of gravity which fed the fountains. Fountains were not only used as a water source for drinking water, but also to decorate homes and celebrate the designer who created it. Roman fountains often depicted imagery of animals or heroes made of bronze or stone masks. To depict the gardens of paradise, Muslim and Moorish garden planners of the Middle Ages added fountains to their designs. King Louis XIV of France wanted to demonstrate his superiority over nature by including fountains in the Gardens of Versailles. To mark the entryway of the restored Roman aqueducts, the Popes of the 17th and 18th centuries commissioned the construction of baroque style fountains in the spot where the aqueducts arrived in the city of Rome

Urban fountains created at the end of the 19th century served only as decorative and celebratory ornaments since indoor plumbing provided the essential drinking water. Fountains using mechanical pumps instead of gravity allowed fountains to bring recycled water into living spaces as well as create special water effects.

These days, fountains decorate public spaces and are used to pay tribute to individuals or events and fill recreational and entertainment needs.

Garden Fountain Designers Through History Often working as architects, sculptors, artists, engineers and highly educated scholars all in one, from the 16th to the late 18th century, fountain designers were multi-talented people,... read more


A Brief History of the First Water Fountains Water fountains were initially practical in function, used to deliver water from rivers or creeks to cities and hamlets, supplying the inhabitants with fresh water to drink, wash, and prepare food with.... read more


A Short History of the Early Water Fountains Water fountains were originally practical in purpose, used to deliver water from rivers or creeks to towns and hamlets, providing the inhabitants with clean water to drink, wash, and prepare food with.... read more


Anglo Saxon Gardens at the Time of the Norman Conquest Anglo-Saxons experienced great adjustments to their day-to-day lives in the latter half of the eleventh century due to the accession of the Normans.Architecture and horticulture were attributes that the Normans excelled in, trumping that of the Anglo-Saxons at the time of the occupation.... read more


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