Outdoor Fountain Engineers Through History
Outdoor Fountain Engineers Through History Commonly serving as architects, sculptors, artists, engineers and cultivated scholars, all in one, fountain creators were multi-talented individuals from the 16th to the late 18th century. Leonardo da Vinci, a Renaissance artist, was notable as a creative intellect, inventor and scientific expert. He carefully annotated his findings in his now much celebrated notebooks about his investigations into the forces of nature and the properties and motion of water. Early Italian fountain builders altered private villa configurations into inventive water displays full with emblematic meaning and natural beauty by coupling creativity with hydraulic and gardening expertise. Known for his incredible skill in archeology, design and garden creations, Pirro Ligorio, the humanist, offered the vision behind the splendors in Tivoli. For the various properties close to Florence, other water feature builders were well versed in humanist subjects and classical technical texts, masterminding the phenomenal water marbles, water highlights and water jokes.
Where did Fountains Come From?
Where did Fountains Come From?
The dramatic or ornamental effect of a fountain is just one of the purposes it fulfills, in addition to delivering drinking water and adding a decorative touch to your property. Originally, fountains only served a practical purpose. Water fountains were linked to a spring or aqueduct to supply potable water as well as bathing water for cities, townships and villages. 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 shoot high into the air. Serving as an element of decoration and celebration, fountains also generated clean, fresh drinking water. Bronze or stone masks of wildlife and heroes were frequently seen on Roman fountains. Muslims and Moorish garden designers of the Middle Ages included fountains to re-create smaller models of the gardens of paradise. Fountains played a considerable role in the Gardens of Versailles, all part of French King Louis XIV’s desire to exert his power over nature. 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 entered the city of Rome
Indoor plumbing became the key source of water by the end of the 19th century thereby limiting urban fountains to mere decorative elements. Gravity was replaced by mechanical pumps in order to enable fountains to bring in clean water and allow for amazing water displays.
Nowadays, fountains decorate public areas and are used to recognize individuals or events and fill recreational and entertainment needs.