The Beginnings of Contemporary Outdoor Wall Fountains

The Beginnings of Contemporary Outdoor Wall Fountains Pope Nicholas V, himself a well educated man, ruled the Roman Catholic Church from 1397 to 1455 during which time he commissioned many translations of old classical Greek texts into Latin. Beautifying Rome and making it the worthy capital of the Christian world was at the core of his ambitions. Beginnings Contemporary Outdoor Wall Fountains 82216729471432.jpg

Beginnings Contemporary Outdoor Wall Fountains 82216729471432.jpg

Beginning in 1453, the ruined ancient Roman aqueduct known as the Aqua Vergine which had brought fresh drinking water into the city from eight miles away, underwent reconstruction at the bidding of the Pope. The ancient Roman custom of marking the arrival point of an aqueduct with an magnificent celebratory fountain, also known as a mostra, was restored by Nicholas V. The Trevi Fountain now occupies the space previously filled with a wall fountain crafted by Leon Battista Albert, an architect employed by the Pope. The aqueduct he had reconditioned included modifications and extensions which eventually allowed it to supply water to the Trevi Fountain as well as the renowned baroque fountains in the Piazza del Popolo and the Piazza Navona.

The Outdoor Garden Fountains

The Outdoor Garden Fountains Water fountains were initially practical in purpose, used to convey water from rivers or springs to cities and hamlets, providing the residents with fresh water to drink, bathe, and prepare food with. Outdoor Garden Fountains 258419194827795526.jpg

Outdoor Garden Fountains 258419194827795526.jpg

A source of water higher in elevation than the fountain was needed to pressurize the flow and send water squirting from the fountain's spout, a system without equal until the later half of the 19th century. Inspirational and impressive, big water fountains have been crafted as monuments in most societies. The common fountains of today bear little similarity to the very first water fountains. A natural stone basin, crafted from rock, was the 1st fountain, used for holding water for drinking and religious functions. The oldest stone basins are believed to be from around 2000 BC. The force of gravity was the energy source that controlled the initial water fountains. Located near aqueducts or creeks, the practical public water fountains furnished the local citizens with fresh drinking water. The Romans began building ornate fountains in 6 B.C., most of which were metallic or stone masks of creatures and mythological heroes. Water for the communal fountains of Rome arrived to the city via a complex system of water aqueducts.

The Dissemination of Water Fountain Design Knowledge

The Dissemination of Water Fountain Design Knowledge The published reports and illustrated publications of the time contributed to the evolution of scientific innovation, and were the chief means of dissiminating useful hydraulic facts and water fountain suggestions all through Europe. An unnamed French fountain engineer became an internationally celebrated hydraulic innovator in the late 1500's. With Royal commissions in Brussels, London and Germany, he started his career in Italy, acquiring experience in garden design and grottoes with integrated and ingenious water hydraulics. In France, near the closure of his life, he published “The Principle of Moving Forces”, a publication that turned into the fundamental text on hydraulic technology and engineering. Updating vital hydraulic advancements of classical antiquity, the publication also details modern hydraulic technologies. Dissemination Water Fountain Design Knowledge 201838185012229597.jpg

Dissemination Water Fountain Design Knowledge 201838185012229597.jpg

Archimedes, the developer of the water screw, had his work featured and these integrated a mechanical means to move water. Sunlight heating up water in a pair of containers hidden in a room next to an ornamental water fountain was shown in one illustration. The heated water expands and then ascends and shuts the pipes consequently activating the fountain. Pumps, water wheels, water features and garden pond designs are mentioned in the book.

The Hellenic Republic: Architectural Sculpture

Hellenic Republic: Architectural Sculpture 884323028879.jpg

A good number of sculptors were paid by the temples to enhance the elaborate pillars and archways with renderings of the gods until the time period came to a close and many Greeks began to think of their religion as superstitious rather than sacred, when it became more typical for sculptors to portray everyday people as well. Rich individuals would occasionally commission a rendition of their ancestors for their big familial tombs; portraiture also became frequent and would be appropriated by the Romans upon their acquisition of Greek society. During the many years of The Greek Classical period, a time of artistic development, the use of sculpture and many other art forms changed, so it is erroneous to think that the arts served merely one function. Greek sculpture is probably appealing to us today as it was an avant-garde experiment in the ancient world, so it does not matter whether or not its original purpose was religious zeal or artistic pleasure.