Where did Large Outdoor Fountains Come From?

Where did Large Outdoor Fountains Come From? Large Outdoor Fountains Come From? 4358421232236997.jpg

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.

From the onset, outdoor fountains were simply there to serve as functional elements. People in cities, towns and villages received their drinking water, as well as water to bathe and wash, from aqueducts or springs in the vicinity. Until the late 19th, century most water fountains operated using gravity to allow water to flow or jet into the air, therefore, they needed a source of water such as a reservoir or aqueduct located higher than the fountain. Fountains were an optimal source of water, and also served to decorate living areas and celebrate the artist. The main components used by the Romans to create their fountains were bronze or stone masks, mostly depicting animals or heroes. 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. Seventeen and 18 century Popes sought to exalt their positions by adding beautiful baroque-style fountains at the point where restored Roman aqueducts arrived into the city.

The end of the 19th century saw the increase in usage of indoor plumbing to supply drinking water, so urban fountains were relegated to strictly decorative elements. Gravity was substituted by mechanical pumps in order to enable fountains to bring in clean water and allow for beautiful water displays.

Modern-day fountains function mostly as decoration for community spaces, to honor individuals or events, and enhance entertainment and recreational activities.

Ancient Water Fountain Designers

Ancient Water Fountain Designers Often working as architects, sculptors, artists, engineers and highly educated scholars all in one, from the 16th to the later part of the 18th century, fountain designers were multi-faceted people, Leonardo da Vinci, a Renaissance artist, was celebrated as a inspired master, inventor and scientific master. He carefully registered his findings in his now celebrated notebooks about his investigations into the forces of nature and the properties and motion of water. Modifying private villa configurations into amazing water showcases full of symbolic meaning and natural beauty, early Italian fountain creators combined creativity with hydraulic and horticultural abilities. The brilliance in Tivoli were provided by the humanist Pirro Ligorio, who was widely known for his skill in archeology, architecture and garden design. Masterminding the excellent water marbles, water features and water antics for the various mansions near Florence, other water feature designers were well versed in humanist subjects as well as ancient technical texts.