Greece: Architectural Statues
Greece: Architectural Statues Historically, most sculptors were compensated by the temples to decorate the involved pillars and archways with renderings of the gods, but as the period came to a close it became more common for sculptors to portray ordinary people as well because many Greeks had begun to think of their institution as superstitious rather than sacred.
Rich individuals would occasionally commission a rendering of their ancestors for their large family tombs; portraiture additionally became prevalent and would be appropriated by the Romans upon their acquisition of Greek society. A time of artistic progression, the use of sculpture and alternate art forms transformed during the Greek Classical period, so it is inexact to say that the arts provided only one function. It could be the modern quality of Greek sculpture that grabs our eye today; it was on a leading-edge practice of the ancient world whether it was established for religious purposes or artistic pleasure.
Bernini: The Genius Behind Italy's Greatest Water Fountains
Bernini: The Genius Behind Italy's Greatest Water Fountains The Barcaccia, Bernini's first water fountain, is a striking chef d'oeuvre built at the base of the Trinita dei Monti in Piaza di Spagna.
This spot continues to be filled with Roman locals and tourists who enjoy exchanging gossip or going over the day's news. Today, the city streets around Bernini's fountain are a trendy place where people go to gather, something which the artist would have been pleased to learn. In around 1630, Pope Urbano VIII helped Bernini launch his professional life with the construction of his first fountain. The fountain’s central motif is based on a massive ship slowly sinking into the Mediterranean Sea. Period writings dating back to the 16th century indicate that the fountain was built as a monument to those who lost their lives in the great flooding of the Tevere. Absenting himself from Italy only once in his life for a prolonged period of time, in 1665 Bernini voyaged to France.
Modern Garden Decor: Fountains and their Roots
Modern Garden Decor: Fountains and their Roots 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.Pure functionality was the original role of fountains.
Cities, towns and villages made use of nearby aqueducts or springs to supply them with drinking water as well as water where they could bathe or wash. Up until the nineteenth, fountains had to be higher and closer to a water source, including 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 memorialize the artist. The main components used by the Romans to create their fountains were bronze or stone masks, mostly depicting animals or heroes. Throughout the Middle Ages, Muslim and Moorish garden planners incorporated fountains to create mini depictions of the gardens of paradise. The fountains seen in the Gardens of Versailles were intended to show the power over nature held by King Louis XIV of France. The Romans of the 17th and 18th centuries created baroque decorative fountains to glorify the Popes who commissioned them as well as to mark the location where the restored Roman aqueducts entered the city.
The end of the nineteenth century saw the increase in usage of indoor plumbing to provide drinking water, so urban fountains were relegated to purely decorative elements. Impressive water effects and recycled water were made possible by switching the power of gravity with mechanical pumps.
Nowadays, fountains adorn public spaces and are used to recognize individuals or events and fill recreational and entertainment needs.