A figure of Actaeon, with a stags head, surmounts this fountain's central column. In his left hand he holds a boar-spear and in his right a hunting horn. Two eager hounds spring up to attack him. When activated, water would emerge from the mouths of the hounds, from Actaeon and from the hunting horn.
Three nude female figures adorn the fountain's base, along with couchant stags. All of these figured spout water, too. The whole of the base is adorned with an acanthus frieze and five grotesque masks. On the underside, three putto masks are featured in high relief.
In the famous legend, Actaeon spied on Diana and her nymphs bathing, and was transformed into a stag and devoured by his own hounds. Such mythological themes were popular in Sixteenth Century fountains. This particular fountain is unusual inasmuch as it was made to be used indoors. Indoor fountains were produced in great quantities in Nuremberg foundries in the third quarter of the 16th century and were widely exported.
No comments:
Post a Comment