The Origins Of Wall Fountains
The Origins Of Wall Fountains A water fountain is an architectural piece that pours water into a basin or jets it high into the air in order to provide drinkable water, as well as for decorative purposes.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.
Up to the late 19th century, water fountains had to be near an aqueduct or reservoir and higher than the fountain so that gravity could make the water flow downwards or jet high into the air. Serving as an element of adornment and celebration, fountains also generated clean, fresh drinking water. Roman fountains usually depicted imagery of animals or heroes made of bronze or stone masks. During the Middle Ages, Muslim and Moorish garden planners incorporated fountains to create mini depictions of the gardens of paradise. To show his dominance over nature, French King Louis XIV included fountains in the Garden of Versailles. To mark the entrance of the restored Roman aqueducts, the Popes of the 17th and 18th centuries commissioned the building of baroque style fountains in the spot where the aqueducts arrived in the city of Rome
The end of the nineteenth century saw the increase in usage of indoor plumbing to supply drinking water, so urban fountains were relegated to purely decorative elements. Gravity was substituted by mechanical pumps in order to permit fountains to bring in clean water and allow for amazing water displays.
Modern-day fountains serve mostly as decoration for open spaces, to honor individuals or events, and compliment entertainment and recreational activities.
Archaic Greek Artistry: Large Statuary
Archaic Greek Artistry: Large Statuary The first freestanding sculpture was developed by the Archaic Greeks, a distinguished accomplishment since until then the sole carvings in existence were reliefs cut into walls and columns. Kouros figures, statues of adolescent, handsome male or female (kore) Greeks, made up the greater part of the sculptures.
Thought of by Greeks to characterize skin care, the kouroi were shaped into inflexible, forward facing positions with one foot outstretched, and the male statues were always nude, well-built, and fit. Around 650 BC, life-sized variations of the kouroi began to be seen. A significant age of transformation for the Greeks, the Archaic period brought about more forms of government, expressions of artwork, and a higher comprehension of people and cultures outside of Greece. The Arcadian battles, the Spartan invasion of Samos, and other wars between city-states are good examples of the sorts of clashes that occurred frequently, which is consistent with other times of historical change.
Water Transport Strategies in Historic Rome
Water Transport Strategies in Historic Rome Previous to 273, when the first elevated aqueduct, Aqua Anio Vetus, was built in Roma, residents who lived on hills had to go further down to gather their water from natural sources. When aqueducts or springs weren’t accessible, people living at raised elevations turned to water drawn from underground or rainwater, which was made possible by wells and cisterns. To offer water to Pincian Hill in the early sixteenth century, they applied the emerging tactic of redirecting the stream from the Acqua Vergine aqueduct’s underground channel. During its initial building and construction, pozzi (or manholes) were located at set intervals along the aqueduct’s channel. While these manholes were created to make it easier to protect the aqueduct, it was also feasible to use containers to extract water from the channel, which was exercised by Cardinal Marcello Crescenzi from the time he bought the property in 1543 to his passing in 1552.
The cistern he had constructed to collect rainwater wasn’t sufficient to meet his water needs. By using an orifice to the aqueduct that ran under his property, he was able to meet his water wants.