Ancient Fountain Designers
Ancient Fountain Designers Multi-talented people, fountain designers from the 16th to the late 18th century frequently functioned as architects, sculptors, artists, engineers and highly educated scholars all in one. During the Renaissance, Leonardo da Vinci exemplified the creator as a inspired wizard, creator and scientific expert. He methodically documented his findings in his now famed notebooks about his investigations into the forces of nature and the attributes and motion of water.
Combining creativity with hydraulic and landscaping abilities, early Italian water feature engineers changed private villa settings into ingenious water exhibits full of symbolic meaning and natural elegance. The brilliance in Tivoli were developed by the humanist Pirro Ligorio, who was famed for his capabilities in archeology, engineering and garden design. Other fountain developers, masterminding the phenomenal water marbles, water functions and water antics for the many estates near Florence, were well-versed in humanist subjects and classical scientific readings.
Contemporary Garden Decoration: Outdoor Fountains and their Roots
Contemporary Garden Decoration: Outdoor Fountains and their Roots A water fountain is an architectural piece that pours water into a basin or jets it high into the air in order to supply drinking water, as well as for decorative purposes. From the beginning, outdoor fountains were simply there to serve as functional elements. Inhabitants 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 connected 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. Serving as an element of decoration and celebration, fountains also supplied clean, fresh drinking water. Bronze or stone masks of wildlife and heroes were commonly seen on Roman fountains. To replicate the gardens of paradise, Muslim and Moorish garden planners of the Middle Ages introduced fountains to their designs. King Louis XIV of France wanted to demonstrate his superiority over nature by including fountains in the Gardens of Versailles. The Popes of the 17th and 18th centuries were glorified with baroque style fountains made to mark the arrival points of Roman aqueducts.
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. Gravity was replaced by mechanical pumps in order to permit fountains to bring in clean water and allow for amazing water displays.
Modern-day fountains function mostly as decoration for community spaces, to honor individuals or events, and compliment entertainment and recreational gatherings.
The Godfather Of Rome's Garden Fountains
The Godfather Of Rome's Garden Fountains There are countless popular water features in the city center of Rome. Pretty much all of them were planned, designed and built by one of the finest sculptors and designers of the 17th century, Gian Lorenzo Bernini. Also a city architect, he had skills as a fountain developer, and marks of his life's work are evident throughout the roads of Rome. To totally reveal their art, mainly in the form of community water fountains and water fountains, Bernini's father, a distinguished Florentine sculptor, guided his young son, and they ultimately moved in Rome. An exceptional employee, Bernin received compliments and the patronage of popes and important artists. Originally he was recognized for his sculpting skills. An expert in classic Greek architecture, he utilized this knowledge as a base and melded it seamlessly with Roman marble, most famously in the Vatican. Though a variety of artists impacted his artistic endeavors, Michelangelo affected him the most.