The ''Fontana Maggiore'', a masterpiece of medieval sculpture, placed in the centre of

Piazza IV Novembre Piazza IV Novembre is a square in the storic center of Perugia. The asymmetrical square opens up to the convergence of the five road axes that structure the medieval city and for its scenography it has represented in every era the privileged plac ...

(formerly Piazza Grande), is the monument symbol of the city of

Perugia Perugia (, , ; lat, Perusia) is the capital city of Umbria in central Italy, crossed by the River Tiber, and of the province of Perugia. The city is located about north of Rome and southeast of Florence. It covers a high hilltop and part o ...

History

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 other talented professionals, as Boninsegna Veneziano, a hydraulic engineer, who accomplished an incredible audacious endeavour, being able to carry the water coming from monte Pacciano, located a few kilometres, without the help of pumps. By means of a forced pressure duct, he managed to give to the water the opposite movement, i.e., the water flowed uphill instead of downhill. Another co-worker was the melter Rosso Padellaio, who created the bronze upper part of the fountain. The marble tiles were placed from 1278, carved by the most important sculptors of the period:

Nicola Pisano Nicola Pisano (also called ''Niccolò Pisano'', ''Nicola de Apulia'' or ''Nicola Pisanus''; c. 1220/1225 – c. 1284) was an Italian sculptor whose work is noted for its classical Roman sculptural style. Pisano is sometimes considered to be the ...

, who studied at the Scuola foggiana di architettura e scultura di Federico II (the school in Foggia Federico II, specialized in architecture and sculpture) in partnership with

Giovanni Giovanni may refer to: * Giovanni (name), an Italian male given name and surname * Giovanni (meteorology), a Web interface for users to analyze NASA's gridded data * ''Don Giovanni'', a 1787 opera by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, based on the legend of ...

, his son. The fountain was damaged by the earthquake of 1348, with the subsequent random reconstruction of the tile order; it was refurbished the first time in 1948/49 and then again in 1995/99. The fountain inspired Jacopo di Grondalo for the construction of the fountain Sturinalto of

Fabriano Fabriano is a town and ''comune'' of Province of Ancona, Ancona province in the Italy, Italian region of the Marche, at Above mean sea level, above sea level. It lies in the Esino valley upstream and southwest of Jesi; and east-northeast of Foss ...

in 1285. In the early 20th century, the fountain was refurbished by the architect

Giuseppe Sacconi Giuseppe Sacconi (Montalto delle Marche, 5 July 1854 - 23 September 1905) was an Italian architect An architect is a person who plans, designs and oversees the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to provide services in ...

Description

The fountain was prepared in a workshop and then assembled in the centre of the square; it was made of stone from

Assisi Assisi (, also , ; from la, Asisium) is a town and ''comune'' of Italy in the Province of Perugia in the Umbria region, on the western flank of Monte Subasio. It is generally regarded as the birthplace of the Latin poet Propertius, born aroun ...

. The fountain consists of two concentric polygonal marble basins, on top a bronze cup (by the melter Rosso Padellaio from Perugia) decorated with a coloured bronze group of feminine figures (maybe nymphs) out of which comes the water. The lower basin is made up of 25 mirrors, each divided into 2 tiles that describe the 12 months of the year, each of which is related to a zodiac symbol. Each month is connected to scenes of daily life and the farming work that characterize it. As in other contemporary sculptures from Europe, in which the months are represented, here the manual work obtains dignity. ''Francesco Vignaroli, Fontana vivace, SEF'' In this basin manual labour is in fact represented together with the arti liberali (liberal arts), with philosophy, with characters from the

Bible The Bible (from Koine Greek , , 'the books') is a collection of religious texts or scriptures that are held to be sacred in Christianity, Judaism, Samaritanism, and many other religions. The Bible is an anthologya compilation of texts of a ...

and the

history of Rome The history of Rome includes the history of the city of Rome as well as the civilisation of ancient Rome. Roman history has been influential on the modern world, especially in the history of the Catholic Church, and Roman law has influenced m ...

; in this specific order:Touring, p. 113 Fontana Maggiore, Perugia

* The month of January (a gentleman and his wife at the hearth – Aquarius) * The month of February (two fishermen - Pisces) * The month of March (the “

spinario ''Boy with Thorn'', also called ''Fedele'' (Fedelino) or ''Spinario'', is a Greco-Roman Hellenistic bronze sculpture of a boy withdrawing a Spine (botany), thorn from the sole of his foot, now in the Palazzo dei Conservatori, Rome. There is a Ro ...

” and the pruning of the vineyard - Aries) * The month of April (two allegories of spring - Taurus) * The month of May (two Knights on Falconry - Gemini) * The month of June (the harvest and flailing - Cancer) * The month of July (the threshing and the division of wheat - Lion) * The month of August (the fig harvest - Virgo) * The month of September (the crushing of must - Libra and the grape harvest) * The month of October (the filling up of casks - Scorpion and the construction of casks) * The month of November (the ploughing - Sagittarius and the sowing) * The month of December (the slaughter of the pork - Capricorn) * The Lion Guelph and the Griffin of Perugia *

Grammar In linguistics, the grammar of a natural language is its set of structure, structural constraints on speakers' or writers' composition of clause (linguistics), clauses, phrases, and words. The term can also refer to the study of such constraint ...

and

Dialectic Dialectic ( grc-gre, διαλεκτική, ''dialektikḗ''; related to dialogue; german: Dialektik), also known as the dialectical method, is a discourse between two or more people holding different points of view about a subject but wishing ...

Rhetoric Rhetoric () is the art of persuasion, which along with grammar and logic (or dialectic), is one of the three ancient arts of discourse. Rhetoric aims to study the techniques writers or speakers utilize to inform, persuade, or motivate parti ...

and

Arithmetic Arithmetic () is an elementary part of mathematics that consists of the study of the properties of the traditional operations on numbers— addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, exponentiation, and extraction of roots. In the 19th ...

Geometry Geometry (; ) is, with arithmetic, one of the oldest branches of mathematics. It is concerned with properties of space such as the distance, shape, size, and relative position of figures. A mathematician who works in the field of geometry is c ...

and

Music Music is generally defined as the art of arranging sound to create some combination of form, harmony, melody, rhythm or otherwise expressive content. Exact definitions of music vary considerably around the world, though it is an aspect ...

Astronomy Astronomy () is a natural science that studies astronomical object, celestial objects and phenomena. It uses mathematics, physics, and chemistry in order to explain their origin and chronology of the Universe, evolution. Objects of interest ...

and

Philosophy Philosophy (from , ) is the systematized study of general and fundamental questions, such as those about existence, reason, knowledge, values, mind, and language. Such questions are often posed as problems to be studied or resolved. Some ...

* Two eagles, on the right one the signature of Giovanni Pisano * The Original Sin and the expulsion from Eden *

Samson Samson (; , '' he, Šīmšōn, label= none'', "man of the sun") was the last of the judges of the ancient Israelites mentioned in the Book of Judges (chapters 13 to 16) and one of the last leaders who "judged" Israel before the institution o ...

kills the Lion and Samson and

Dalila Delilah ( ; , meaning "delicate";Gesenius's ''Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon'' ar, دليلة, Dalīlah; grc, label=Greek, Δαλιδά, Dalidá) is a woman mentioned in the sixteenth chapter of the Book of Judges in the Hebrew Bible. She is loved b ...

* Davide triumphant and Golia defeated *

Romulus and Remus In Roman mythology, Romulus and Remus (, ) are twin brothers whose story tells of the events that led to the founding of the city of Rome and the Roman Kingdom by Romulus, following his fratricide of Remus. The image of a she-wolf suckling the ...

(represented as two falconers) * The she-wolf that fed Romulus, Remus and their mother

Rea Silvia Rhea (or Rea) Silvia (), also known as Ilia (as well as other names) was the mythical mother of the twins Romulus and Remus, who founded the city of Rome. Her story is told in the first book of ''Ab Urbe Condita Libri'' of Livy and in Cassius ...

* Two of

Aesop Aesop ( or ; , ; c. 620–564 BCE) was a Greek fabulist and storyteller credited with a number of fables now collectively known as ''Aesop's Fables''. Although his existence remains unclear and no writings by him survive, numerous tales cre ...

's fables (the fox and the crane and the wolf and the lamb) File:Perugia - Fontana Maggiore (sec. XIII) - Foto G. Dall'Orto 6 ago 2006 - 07.jpg, Detail of Fontana Maggiore File:Perugia - Fontana Maggiore - 1 - Mesi - 01 - Gennaio - Foto G. Dall'Orto 5 ago 2006.jpg, Aquarius and the month of January File:Perugia - Fontana Maggiore - 1 - Mesi - 02 - Febbraio - Foto G. Dall'Orto 5 ago 2006.jpg, The fishermen and the month of February File:Perugia - Fontana Maggiore - 1 - Mesi - 03 - Marzo - Foto G. Dall'Orto 5 ago 2006.jpg, The "Spinario", the Aries and the month of March File:Perugia - Fontana Maggiore - 1 - Mesi - 04 - Aprile - Foto G. Dall'Orto 5 ago 2006.jpg, The allegories of spring and the Taurus for the month of April File:Perugia - Fontana Maggiore - 1 - Mesi - 05 - Maggio - Foto G. Dall'Orto 5 ago 2006 1.jpg, Two Falconers for the month of May File:Perugia - Fontana Maggiore - 1 - Mesi - 06 - Giugno - Foto G. Dall'Orto 5 ago 2006 1.jpg, The harvest and the month of June File:Perugia - Fontana Maggiore - 1 - Mesi - 07 - Luglio - Foto G. Dall'Orto 5 ago 2006 1 Bearbeitung 1.jpg, The flailing and the threshing of wheat in July File:Perugia - Fontana Maggiore - 1 - Mesi - 08 - Agosto - Foto G. Dall'Orto 5 ago 2006.jpg, The fig harvest and the month of August File:Perugia - Fontana Maggiore - 1 - Mesi - 09 - Settembre - Foto G. Dall'Orto 5 ago 2006.jpg, The crushing of grapes in September File:Perugia - Fontana Maggiore - 1 - Mesi - 10 - Ottobre - Foto G. Dall'Orto 5 ago 2006.jpg, The preparation of wine in October File:Perugia - Fontana Maggiore - 1 - Mesi - 11 - Novembre - Foto G. Dall'Orto 5 ago 2006.jpg, The ploughing and sowing - November File:Perugia - Fontana Maggiore - 1 - Mesi - 12 - Dicembre - Foto G. Dall'Orto 5 ago 2006.jpg, the slaughter of the pork in December File:Perugia - Fontana Maggiore - 2 - Arti liberali - 1-2 - Grammatica e Dialettica - Foto G. Dall'Orto 5 ago 2006.jpg, Grammar and Dialectic File:Perugia 038.JPG, Rhetoric and Arithmetic File:Perugia 035.JPG, Astronomy and Philosophy In the upper basin, 24 statues at the corners, representing saints and mythological and biblical characters from the New and Old Testament. As in the lower basin, there is no contrast between the new Judeo-Cristian civilization and the ancient Greek-Roman civilization, 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 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 Iacus,''Francesco Vignaroli, Fontana vivace, SEF'' the nymph of the Lake Trasimeno. Then follows all the characters related to the city. In the opposite cardinal point, to the North, Euliste, the legendary founder of Perugia. To the West, Rome, related to the representation of the Roman Church and of Divinitas Excelsa and of Saints Pietro and Paolo. Another important character to the East is S. Giovanni Battista, for the role of the water as an essential and sacred element; it is associated with Salomè and other biblical characters. The representation of the 24 statues are: * San Pietro * The Church of Rome * Roma caput mundi (Rome capital of the world) * Divinitas Excelsa *

San Paolo San Paolo (Italian for "Saint Paul") is a ''comune'' in the Province of Brescia, in the Italian region Lombardy Lombardy ( it, Lombardia, Lombard language, Lombard: ''Lombardia'' or ''Lumbardia' '') is an administrative regions of Italy, region ...

* A Cleric of San Lorenzo *

San Lorenzo San Lorenzo is the Italian and Spanish name for Lawrence of Rome, Saint Lawrence, the 3rd-century Christian martyr, and may refer to: Places Argentina * San Lorenzo, Santa Fe * San Lorenzo Department, Chaco * Monte San Lorenzo, a mountain on t ...

, patron saint of the city * The nymph of the territory of Chiusi or Domina Clusi * Augusta Perusia * The nymph of

Trasimeno Lake Trasimeno ( , also ; it, Lago Trasimeno ; la, Trasumennus; ett, Tarśmina), also referred to as Trasimene ( ) or Thrasimene in English, is a lake in the province of Perugia, in the Umbria region of Italy on the border with Tuscany. Th ...

or Domina lacus, who offers the fish to Perugia * San Ercolano, patron saint of the city * The Cleric traitor of San Ercolano *

Saint Benedict Benedict of Nursia ( la, Benedictus Nursiae; it, Benedetto da Norcia; 2 March AD 480 – 21 March AD 548) was an Christianity in Italy, Italian Christian monk, writer, and theologian who is venerated in the Catholic Church, the Eastern Ortho ...

John the Baptist John the Baptist or , , or , ;Wetterau, Bruce. ''World history''. New York: Henry Holt and Company. 1994. syc, ܝܘܿܚܲܢܵܢ ܡܲܥܡܕ݂ܵܢܵܐ, Yoḥanān Maʿmḏānā; he, יוחנן המטביל, Yohanān HaMatbil; la, Ioannes Bapti ...

Solomon Solomon (; , ),, ; ar, سُلَيْمَان, ', , ; el, Σολομών, ; la, Salomon also called Jedidiah (Hebrew language, Hebrew: , Modern Hebrew, Modern: , Tiberian Hebrew, Tiberian: ''Yăḏīḏăyāh'', "beloved of Yahweh, Yah"), ...

David David (; , "beloved one") (traditional spelling), , ''Dāwūd''; grc-koi, Δαυΐδ, Dauíd; la, Davidus, David; gez , ዳዊት, ''Dawit''; xcl, Դաւիթ, ''Dawitʿ''; cu, Давíдъ, ''Davidŭ''; possibly meaning "beloved one". w ...

* Salomè * Mosè * Matteo da Correggio, podestà of Perugia * The Archangel Michele * Euliste, the legendary founder of Perugia *

Melchisedec ''Melchisedec'' is a genus of Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it ...

* Ermanno da Sassoferrato, capitano del Popolo * The Victory In the lower frame of the second basins, Latin verses are carved; epigraphic abbreviation provides 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.) File:Cup bronze with nymphs of the Fontana Maggiore in Perugia.jpg, The bronze cup with the 3 nymphs File:Perugia - Fontana Maggiore (sec. XIII) - Foto G. Dall'Orto 6 ago 2006 - 03.jpg, The upper basin File:Perugia - Fontana Maggiore (sec. XIII) - Foto G. Dall'Orto 5 ago 2006 - 04.jpg, ''Melchisedec'' File:Perugia 030.JPG, The church, Rome and Teology File:Perugia 055.JPG, The personification of Perugia File:Perugia 065.JPG, San Benedetto File:Fontana Maggiore, particolare.JPG, Detail File:Fontana Maggiore (Perugia).jpg, view

Stamp

In 1974, the Poste Italiane (Italian Posts) dedicated to Fontana Maggiore a 40 Lire stamp (ex-Italian currency), for the collection “Fontane d’Italia”(Italian fountains).

References

Bibliography

* * {{Authority control Buildings and structures completed in 1278 Maggiore Buildings and structures in Perugia Tourist attractions in Umbria

History

Description

Stamp

See also

References

Bibliography