Construction
water well in Perugia, Italy
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The Fontana Maggiore, a masterpiece of medieval sculpture, placed in the centre of Piazza IV Novembre (formerly Piazza Grande), is the monument symbol of the city of Perugia.
The monumental fountain was designed by Frà Bevignate da Cingoli and built between 1275 and 1277 to celebrate the arrival of water in the acropolis of the city, by means of the new aqueduct. Bevignate cooperated with Boninsegna Veneziano, a hydraulic engineer, who accomplished an incredible audacious endeavour, being able to carry the water coming several kilometres from Mount Pacciano without the help of pumps. By means of a forced pressure duct, he managed to let the water flow uphill.
The marble reliefs were carved by the most important sculptors of the period: Nicola Pisano, in collaboration with his son Giovanni. The installation of the panels began in 1278. The upper basin in bronze with the three Graces or nymphs holding an amphora was created by Rosso Padellaio from Perugia.
The fountain was damaged by the earthquake of 1348, with the subsequent random reconstruction of the sequence of the panels; it was refurbished in 1948/49 by the architect Giuseppe Sacconi, and then again from 1995 to 1999.
The fountain inspired Jacopo di Grondalo for the construction of the Sturinalto Fountain of Fabriano in 1285.
The fountain made of stone from Assisi was prepared in a workshop and then assembled in the square. The fountain consists of two concentric polygonal marble basins, on top a bronze cup (by Rosso Padellaio) decorated in its center with a bronze group of three feminine figures (Charites, or perhaps nymphs) holding an amphora out of which the water pours down into the basins.
The lower basin is made up of 25 sides with compound columns at their edges, which have spiral fluting or other geometric pattern. Each compartment has two pictorial panels divided by a single column. The reliefs illustrate the annual cycle with twelve scenes of daily life and farm work characteristic for each month, and the adequate zodiac symbol added. As in other contemporary European art work, Labours of the Months are shown in a dignified manner. Here, manual labour is in fact represented alongside the arti liberali (liberal arts), figures from the Bible and the history of Rome. They are displayed in the following order:
The upper basin is supported by alternating compound columns and single columns, only slightly higher than the parapet of the ground basin. At each of its 24 edges standing figures represent saints and mythological and biblical characters from the New and Old Testament. As in the lower basin, no distinction is made between the new Judeo-Cristian civilization and the ancient Roman heritage, they are harmonized and placed in continuity. The basin can be seen as a wind rose, where at each cardinal point there are relevant characters; i.e., the representation of Augusta Perusia, the Roman name of Perugia, with the cornucopia on her lap, which draw nourishment from the ears of wheat brought by the lady of Chiusi (once the granary of Perugia) and from the fish offered by Domina lacus, the nymph of the Lake Trasimeno. Then follow all the characters related to the city. In the opposite cardinal point, to the North, Euliste, the legendary founder of Perugia is depicted. To the West, Rome, related to the representation of the Roman Church and of Divinitas excelsa and of Saints Peter and Paul. Another important character to the East is Saint John the Baptist for the role of the water as an essential and sacred element; it is also associated with Salome and other biblical characters.
The 24 statues represent:
In the lower frame of the second basin, Latin verses are carved; epigraphic abbreviations provide information on the authors and the date of the sculpture, and they are an invitation to examine and interpret the fountain: Guarda tu che passi questa fontana dal lieto mormorio, se osservi bene puoi vedere cose mirabili…. ("Look, you who pass by this fountain with its babbling, if you look closer you can see wonderful things.")
In 1974, the Poste italiane (Italian Mail) dedicated a 40 Lire stamp (ex-Italian currency) to the Fontana Maggiore, as part of a series of Italian fountains, Fontane d’Italia.
Text from the Wikipedia article “Fontana Maggiore”, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.