Fountain with Elephant and Obelisk
1667-69
Marble
Piazza Sta Maria sopra Minerva, Rome
Gianlorenzo Bernini Fontana del Tritone 1643 Piazza Barberini, Rome
THE FOUNTAINS OF ROME
The theatrical open spaces of Baroque Rome were greatly
enlivened by fountains, visual pivots for the urban scenery that
expressed a connection between nature and artifice. Gianlorenzo
Bernini created new concepts and designs for fountains, one of
the most famous being the Triton Fountain in the Piazza
Barberini (1642-43). He enhanced the pedestal of the fountain by
adding exuberant dolphins around the base. Above, the sea god
Triton blows a jet of water into the air through a conch shell.
Standing in a corner of Piazza Barberini is Bernini's Fountain
of the Bees (1644), also commissioned by the Barberini family.
Here, the family coat of arms is vividly brought to life in the
form of the bees enclosed in the gigantic shell. Soon after, in
Piazza Navona, Bernini built his celebrated Fountain of the Four
Rivers (1648-51). which was adopted as the site of an annual
water festival. The great 18th-century tradition of urban
embellishment derived from these prototypes is exemplified by
the Trevi Fountain (1732-63) by Niccolo Salvi (1697-1751), which
was carved by Pietro Bracci and Filippo Delia Valle. The
fountain complements the urban scenery and open space, the rigid
classicism of its architectural backdrop being contrasted with
the exuberant plasticity of the statuary groups.
Gianlorenzo Bernini Fountain of the Four Rivers 1648-51 Travertine and marble Piazza Navona, Rome
Gianlorenzo Bernini Fountain of the Moor 1653-54
Marble
Piazza Navona, Rome
Gianlorenzo Bernini Fountain of the Moor (detail) 1653-54
Marble
Piazza Navona, Rome
Gianlorenzo Bernini Fontana della Barcaccia 1627-28
Marble
Piazza di Spagna, Rome
Niccolo Salvi Fontana di Trevi 1732-62
Marble
Piazza di Trevi, Rome
Niccolo Salvi Fontana di Trevi (detail) 1732-62
Marble
Piazza di Trevi, Rome
Niccolo Salvi Fontana di Trevi (detail) 1732-62
Marble
Piazza di Trevi, Rome
Niccolo Salvi Fontana di Trevi (detail) 1732-62
Marble
Piazza di Trevi, Rome