[Sca-cooks]Fountains was: Casa Bardicci Subtlety Contest

[Johnna Holloway]

Circumstances prevented me from seeing this exhibit in person,
but I did buy the catalogue. This fountain appears on page 87 in the 2004
volume titled  Art from the Court of Burgundy.

 From the entry there--

"Originally, the fountain stood in a large catch basin. Water, pumped 
through
a central tube, emerged at the top through a series of nozzles (shaped 
as animals
and drolleries) in jets that forced the rotation of the wheels and rang 
the tiny bells.
The water gradually cascaded from one level to the next through gargoyle 
heads,
only to refill the catch basin for another cycle.

The suggestion that such fountains were intended to be used for 
banqueting tables
is not supported by the evidence. Inventories do not refer to these 
objects as
"table" fountains and contemporary minatures of banqueting scenes do not 
depict
such objects. They are generally associated with rose water. It seems 
more likely
that, secondarily to their interest as objects of entertainment, they 
were intended
to serve as room scenters mounted on tripods or small side tables. "  S.N.F.

There appears to be this 40 plus page article on it.
Fliegel, Stephen N. "The Cleveland Table Fountain and Gothic Automata,"
Cleveland Studies in the History of Art. 2002 v.7.   pp. 6-49.

That article might be a starting point for more research. Looking up
automata as well as fountains might also be helpful. I'll see if I can find
some books too.

Johnnae


I would love to learn more about how period fountains worked. 
Does anyone have any recommendations for good books on the subject?

Faerisa

> There is a 14th century table fountain at theCleveland Museum of Art. 
>
>> http://www.clevelandart.org/exhibcef/burgundy/html/1080248.html
>> It does not use a gravity feed reservoir, but I don't know how it 
>> does work.
>> Mordonna
>>
>