Gian Lorenzo Bernini
(born 1598, Napoli, died 1680, Rome)
In the bustling city center of Rome, there is a wealth of dramatic public fountains. Almost all of them were designed, conceived, and constructed, by Gian Lorenzo Bernini, one of the greatest sculptors, fountain designers, and artists of the 17th century. In addition to his skills as a fountain designer, he was also a city architect and traces of his life's work are evident throughout the streets of Rome. Bernini's father, a renowned Florentine sculptor, mentored his young son, and they ultimately moved to Rome, in order to fully express their art via water wall fountains. The young Bernini was an exceptional worker and earned the praise and patronage of popes and important artists. Initially, he was renowned for his sculpture and fountains. He used a base of expertise in the ancient Greek architecture, and melded seamlessly with Roman marble, most notably in the Vatican. He was also influenced by Michelangelo.
Bernini's first fountain was the Barcaccia, a beautiful fountain built at the base of the Trinita dei Monti in Piaza di Spagna. To this day, this area is filled with Roman citizens and visiting tourists who enjoy conversation and each other's company by the falling water. Bernini himself would undoubtedly be pleasantly surprised by the streets surrounding his fountain which now houses some of the cities most stylish boutiques. This first fountain of Bernini's career dates from about 1630 and was originally commissioned by Pope Ubano VIII. the concept of this fountain is based on an enormous ship, slowly sinking into the Mediterranean. Writings from the period suggest it is a memorial to those citizens whom lost their lives in the great flood of the Tevere, which covered the entire area in a blanket of water near the end of the 16th century.
Bernini traveled to France in 1665, in what was his only extended absence from Italy. The excursion was made in response to repeated requests that for many years had been issued to him by King Louis XIV, and the purpose was the design of a luxurious new French royal housing compound. In these days, Bernini was so renowned as a fountain designer that many citizens lined the avenues of each town along the route to wish him well as he passed. His reception in Paris was equally celebrated, but he soon upset his French hosts by repeatedly praising the art and architecture of Italy and disparaging that of France. His views made him unpopular with the French elite and were the basis for the rejection of his designs for the Louve museum. The only remaining symbolism of Bernini's visit to Paris is his great statue of Louis XIV, a symmetrical, vertical, and robust portrait, in which the Sun King watches over his kingdom with the authority of a God. The image set a baseline for royal portraits that lasted over 100 years.
Another of the famous fountains by Gian Lorenzo Bernini is the Fontana del Tritone in Piazza Barberini. This fountain was completed in approximately 1644. The design of this fountain is a large shell with a Triton in the center and surrounded by four dolphins. The goal of this fountain was to help Bernini demonstrate the power of Pope Barerini. Soon after this fountain was completed, another fountain of Bernini's hand was completed nearby. However, this fountain, called the Fontana delle Api, was deconstructed in the late 1800's, and rebuilt in 1917 at the intersection of Via Vento and Via di S. Basilio. Over the years many pieces of this current version of the fountain have been replaced and remodeled, and it is very unlikely that the current version closely resembles Bernini's original. Another of Bernini's most famous fountains is the Quattro Fiumi, located smack dab in the middle of Piazza Navona. Constructed of travertine stone and rich marble, this fountain was completed in 1651. Throughout the centuries, many art critics and historians have praised this fountain as being one of the most beautiful in all of Rome. This fountain is also known as the four Rivers fountain, representing the major rivers of the four parts of the world known to geographers of the time; the Danube represents Europe, the Rio represents the Americas, the Nile is symbolic of Africa, and the water of the Ganges is symbolic of Asia. In the same square stands the Moor's Fountain, aka the Fontana del Moro. This fountain symbolizes a man with African features combating a dolphin on the high seas.
No discussion on Bernini would be complete without discussing his most famous work, the Trevi fountain, located in Piazza Trevi. Not only is it a popular fountain amongst Romans, is widely considered one of the most important fountains in the world. As with such important architectural features, legends accompany this magnificent work of art. One of the most persistent superstitions, is that if you throw a coin over your shoulder into the fountain, it means you will most certainly returned to Rome one day. Ironically, Bernini widely gets full credit for the Trevi fountain, however. He never actually finished it. It was not completed until 1751, when Nichola Salvi was contracted to complete the fountain. This very large architectural fountain is made up of columns, horses, Neptune, and a host of Tritons. Bernini is also responsible for a wealth of lesser wall water fountains around Italy.
Gian Lorenzo Bernini passed away soon after his 81st birthday, and after having received patronage by eight popes, and when he passed away he was widely celebrated as not only Europe's greatest sculptor and fountain designer but also one of its greatest men. He was the the final lineage to Italy's remarkable series of grand geniuses, and the Baroque style he helped establish was the last of the Italian styles to become a worldwide standard. His passing marked the end of Italy's artistic dominance on the European continent. The style in fountain designing he helped create and continue was continued forward for about 100 years in various parts of Europe, and his influence even stretched into parts of Asia.
In decorative garden fountains of today, you can continue to see the influence of this great artist.