(25) Bernini's "Tritone Fountain" - A masterpiece fountain that brings Bernini's fantasy world to life!

(25) Bernini's "Tritone Fountain" - A masterpiece fountain where Bernini's fantasy world comes alive!

Previous ArticleBernini's Raimondi Chapel - A Stunning Spectacle of Light! Bernini as Playwright and Director"In the following section, we looked at Bernini's theatrical talents.

In this article, too, we will look at a work that brings that theatrical talent to life.

Fountain works that made the most of Bernini's theatrical talent - History of Rome, the city of water.

Along with these chapel decorations,festivalsfestivalandplaytheatreThe experience of the "Mere Old Man" is alive and well in a group of fountains. The fountains, as it werecitystreetThe stage is set in the square offestivalsfestival(at sentence-end, falling tone) indicates a confident conclusionequipmentmackinawIt seems as if the "water" is the main character in this case, of course. Needless to say, in this case, the star of the show is water, and Bernini loved water as well as light. When he visited Paris later that year, he and Chantreau went for a walk on the Pont Rouge one summer evening. When they arrived at the bridge, they stopped the carriage and looked at the river for a quarter of an hour. I am a great friend of water. Water purifies the soul. Rome is richly endowed with water.citystreetand at the same time the fountain'scitystreetIt is Rome's charm, itsstage-likeshenographicFountains are indispensable to the view. In this light, it can be said that the greatest legacy Bernini bequeathed to Rome is the fountains he created at every turn.

Ancient Rome was blessed with an abundance of water thanks to water supply facilities on a grand scale. However, these water supply facilities were destroyed by barbarian invasions, and the people of medieval Rome, cut off from water supply, lived in the lowlands along the river, mainly in the Campo Marzio area (around today's Piazza Navona) and used water collected from the Tiber River and left to rest for five or six days as drinking water. Even after Nicholas V ordered Alberti to restore a part of the ancient waterworks called Acqua Vergine in 1453, people had to buy water from the Tiber every day from water vendors.

However, Rome finally became a city with a water supply system comparable to that of ancient times when Sixtus V built Acqua Felice at the end of the 16th century and Paulus V built Acqua Paola in the 17th century. At that time, these water supply facilities in Kuchma supplied 180,000 cubic meters of water per day, or 170 liters per person, to a population of about 110,000, so much so that the authorities did not have to think of new water supply methods until 1850. This abundance of water was used to create fountains in various parts of the city. Until the advent of Bernini, however, the fountains were mainly geometrical constructions by architects, and when sculpture was added, it was merely decorative and unimaginative.
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Masumi Ishinabe, Yoshikawa KobunkanBernini, Giant Star of Baroque Art.p95-96

For more information on ancient Roman water supply technology, see(7) "All Roads Lead to Rome" - Visiting the Baths of Caracalla, the Appian Way and the Aqueduct. The amazing technology of ancient Rome is astonishing."I also talked about this in my article on

But the Roman Empire's superior water supply technology was lost with the fall of the empire.

Rome had become a city without waterworks, but in the late 16th century, the popes' public policy led to the construction of waterworks one after another. At this stage, fountains were seen only as a completely utilitarian device, and it was Bernini who appeared on the scene. Let us continue to look at the explanations.

The Barcaccia Fountain, Bernini's first fountain.

In contrast, the first real fountain by Bernini was the "Barcaccia Fountain" (barcaccia means "old ship") installed at the foot of the Spanish Steps. Built between 1628 and the following year, the fountain resembles a ship bearing the coat of arms of Urbanus VIII. The water flows out from both the edge and the center of the ship, and the water that accumulates in the ship overflows from the side of the ship. Urbanus VIII is said to have sung in praise of the fountain, "The Pope's ships of war, instead of firing their guns, discharge sweet water that quenches the fires of battle. According to Baldinucci, Bernini believed that the fountain must have some noble meaning. In this regard, the "Barcaccia Fountain" issmall craftNavitiela.It is said to have been inspired either by the church itself, or by the Naumachia of the Domitianic emperors (a place for boating and ship games), which was known to have existed on this very spot. It is quite conceivable that both meanings are implied.

Masumi Ishinabe, Yoshikawa KobunkanBernini, Giant Star of Baroque Art.p96-97

(2) Introducing Piazza di Spagna in Rome, where the great writers stayed! We're crazy about the fountain of Bernini's masterpiece "Barcaccia."I love this fountain, as I told you in the article of I can say that it is my favorite fountain in all of Rome. I am so in love with this fountain that it makes my nose bleed.

The flowing water is just beautiful. And the shape of the ship. I feel indescribably comfortable. This "indescribable comfort" must have been calculated by Bernini.

Bernini fountain masterpiece "Tritone Fountain" - Embodies a fantasy world!

The "Tritone Fountain," which Urbanus VIII had built between 1642 and 43 in the square in front of his family's Palazzo Barberini, is the most famous and most imaginative of all Bernini's fountains. It is small considering the size of the square, and the water only shoots up from the top, but it nevertheless fills the square with a poetic, fairy-tale atmosphere. The pagan atmosphere is exactly like the poetry of Ovidius.

The sea god then subdued the trident, calmed the waves, and appeared on the surface of the sea, calling to him a water-colored-skinned triton with a shoulder full of shells, who belted out a trumpet call.bright, clear and reverberaterareThe trumpet blew, and the waves and rivers of the sea were commanded to pull back. Triton picked up the curling trumpet, which gradually grew in size from the innermost whirlpool outward. This trumpet, when sounded in the middle of the ocean, would echo over the eastern shore where Phebes rose and over the western shore where Phebes sank. Again, Triton, with water dripping from his wet whiskers, placed the trumpet to his mouth and blew, as commanded, "The situation is over! the sound reached the ears of all the waters of the land and sea. All the waters of the land and sea heard it, and they immediately became quiet. (Tensei Monogatari, vol. 1, translated by Tanaka and Maeda)

Bernini's Tritone (Triton) sits on a shell supported by four dolphins. The water splashes against the tritone or spills out of the shell, creating a variety of light and sound depending on the wind conditions. The Tritone, the only completely free-standing sculpture in Bernini's oeuvre, exudes a dynamic force that is characteristic of Bernini and achieves a "Michelangelo-like monumentality" (Brandt), no matter which way it is viewed. And when water is added to this, a poetic atmosphere of pagan mythology pervades the surroundings. Here, Bernini transformed the fountain, which had been dominated by geometric forms, into a comprehensive sculptural work that creates a fantasy of water, light, and sound. This entirely new conception of the fountain became the basis for the rich Baroque water festivals that developed throughout Europe. In other words, Tritone's blowing of the conch heralded the dawn of a new era of fountains.every directioneast, west, south and northThe company is telling the (omitted)

The "noble meaning" represented by the fountain can be interpreted in two ways. First, since the tritone symbolizes literary immortality, the fountain can be interpreted as a celebration of the Pope's poetic genius. Furthermore, since the dolphins represent royal blessings and the Barberini bees symbolize divine providence, the fountain could be interpreted as a tribute to the pope's wise reign under the guidance of God.advertisementpropagareIt is also said that the artist is a "magician". Either way, the viewer is sure to be captivated by the magic of the form. It is regrettable, however, that the effect of the water spout has been reduced to half of what it is today, as its surroundings have been completely changed by modern urban remodeling and recent traffic conditions, and the momentum of the water spout has been reduced due to the drop in water pressure.

Masumi Ishinabe, Yoshikawa KobunkanBernini, Giant Star of Baroque Art.p97-99

Bernini has always been the ancient Roman poet Ovidius.A Tale of Transformation.He has worked on sculptures with the motif of

Treasures of the Borghese GalleryThe Plunder of Proserpina."andApollo and Daphne.is also based on this very myth of the "Metamorphosis Story".

The current work, "Tritone Fountain," is thus a visual embodiment of Ovidius' poem and a fountain.

Indeed, the mechanism of the fountain is quite simple. Water spurts straight up from the tip of the conch. The water then bounces around randomly and drips down. Despite the simplicity of the structure, one cannot help but be amazed at how the water moves in such a way that one cannot take one's eyes off of it.

I don't know if you can call this a dolphin, but it is very comical and cute.

Nevertheless, today we can go to theme park-like places wherever we go, and it is easy to see fantasy-like things in images and videos.

Before Bernini created these works, however, there were no fountains like this. They were all rugged and utilitarian. Bernini created them from scratch, and this is a great invention.

The Bee Fountain, located right next to the Tritone Fountain.

Bernini created another fountain in Piazza Barberini, the "Bee Fountain," to store water returned from the "Tritone Fountain" and to provide drinking water for the horses. The fountain is a small but interesting piece of work, combining the shell, a symbol of life and fertility, with Barberini's bees, a quirky touch (although today's fountain is not the same as the original. Originally attached to a building on another side of the square, it was removed in the 19th century and reconstructed at the beginning of this century as an independent fountain at the entrance of Via Veneto, where it stands today. (Many parts of the present fountain were captured at this time.)

Masumi Ishinabe, Yoshikawa KobunkanBernini, Giant Star of Baroque Art.p100

The Bee Fountain is just a stone's throw from the Tritone Fountain. It is almost right in front of the Tritone Fountain. However, it is much smaller than its creation, and its decoration is modest, so it is surprisingly inconspicuous. When I found it, I thought to myself, "What? Is this it?" I was so worried when I found it. Moreover, although it is called "Hachi no fountain," as a resident of Hokkaido, it looks like a "scallop fountain" to me. The bees are so unobtrusive in this work. However, if you look at it carefully, you will gradually begin to feel the fantasy of this fountain. Above all, it is cute. Both "Tritone Fountain" and "Bee Fountain" are fountains that make me feel "cuteness.

That "Trevi Fountain" was also supposed to be built by Bernini!

To conclude this article about the fountain, there is an episode that I would like to share with you. It is an amazing backstory about the Trevi Fountain. Let's listen to Masumi Ishinabe's explanation.

In addition to these fountains, Bernini was involved in other important fountain projects. He was responsible for the construction and decoration of the Trevi Fountain, the terminus of the Acqua Verginae.

The Trevi Fountain, one of the most important tourist attractions in Rome today (the name is said to derive from the three-way junction, from the three outlets, and from the name of the water source), is the most important of all the fountains in the city.Fountain of ObsessionMostraDespite the fact that the fountain had been a major tourist attraction for many years, it was left without any real decoration for a long time. Finally, in 1640, a huge budget of 36,000 scudi was allocated for the maintenance and decoration of the fountain, and Bernini, who was also the "architect of the Acqua Vergine," was entrusted with the work. The work was entrusted to Bernini, who was also the "architect of the Acqua Vergine".

He first rearranged the surrounding houses to create space and moved the fountain so that it could be seen from the Palazzo Quirinale, changing its orientation to what it is today. However, the work came to a halt when he had reached that point. The attempt to procure marble for the decoration from the mausoleum of Cecilia Metella, an important ancient monument on the old Appian Way, was met with fierce opposition, and the deterioration of the papal finances was a decisive obstacle to the continuation of the work.

After many twists and turns, it was not until 1762 that Nicola Salvi's wonderful "Trevi Fountain," as we see it today, was finally completed. Unfortunately, how Bernini intended to decorate the "Trevi Fountain" is a matter of conjecture, and the relationship between his vision and Salvi's work is not clear. However, it is clear that the "Four Rivers Fountain" in Piazza Navona was a decisive influence, and without it, the "Trevi Fountain" of today would not exist.
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Masumi Ishinabe, Yoshikawa KobunkanBernini, Giant Star of Baroque Art.p99-100

I was surprised to learn that Bernini was also supposed to work on this "Trevi Fountain. Moreover, the reason for its cancellation was also very realistic. I had just visited the Mausoleum of Cecilia Metella, which was mentioned in the commentary.

This old site is located on Appian Way.(7) "All Roads Lead to Rome" - Visiting the Baths of Caracalla, the Appian Way and the Aqueduct. The amazing technology of ancient Rome is astonishing."I could not help but think of Bernini when I saw this mausoleum. It is clear that a great deal of stone has already been taken out of this mausoleum, and if Bernini's proposal had gone through, it might have been almost unmodified. The procurement of marble from ancient Roman ruins was actively used in the construction of St. Peter's Basilica, and Bernini's Baldacchino also procured copper from the Pantheon.

The Roman citizens must have been outraged at such procurement from the ruins of ancient Rome. This is a very interesting episode.

The Trevi Fountain is one of the most famous landmarks in the world. However, Bernini was actually involved here as well.

Bernini's influence is nothing short of amazing.

be unbroken

*The following photos are my Bernini notes. I hope you will find them useful.

*The list of articles in the "Rome Travel Journal" can be found atCategory page hereindicates direction or goal (e.g. "to")

*Please visit this category page for recommended books to learn about Rome and Italy.
The Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire, the Vatican, and Roman Catholicism."
The Italian Renaissance and the Revolution in Knowledge."

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