Description
Book SynopsisThe Fonte Gaia from Renaissance to Modern Times examines the history of Siena's famous public fountain, from its fifteenth-century origins to its eventual replacement by a copy in the nineteenth century (and the modern fate of both). The book explores how both the Risorgimento and the Symbolist movements have shaped our perceptions of the Italian Renaissance, as the Quattrocento was filtered through the lens of contemporary art and politics.
Table of ContentsList of Illustrations List of Abbreviations Preface Chapter One: Siena: Water and Power Water Early Medieval Italian Fountains Sienese Fountains Chapter Two: The first Fonte Gaia Decoration of the first fountain Source of water for the first fountain History of the first Fonte Gaia Jacopo della Quercia’s Fonte Gaia and the chronology of its execution Identifying the Fonte Gaia’s parapet sculptures Acca Larentia and Rhea Silvia Jacopo della Quercia’s Parapet Statues Mother Earth and Gaia Reasons why the parapet sculptures were changed to refer to Gaia and other precedents for the iconography of the Fonte Gaia Influence of Jacopo della Quercia’s Fonte Gaia in the fifteenth century Chapter Three: A history of disrepair Section I Reasons why the Fonte Gaia was damaged in situ: Jacopo della Quercia’s choice of materials Reasons why the Fonte Gaia was damaged in situ: civic events and festivals [markets, Palio, buffalo hunts] Section II Motivation for the fountain’s removal Milanesi’s crusade to save the Fonte Gaia Sarrocchi carves a replacement for Jacopo della Quercia’s Fonte Gaia Fate of Jacopo della Quercia’s sculptures after their removal from the Piazza del Campo The relationship between Bruni’s drawings and Sarrocchi’s sculptures Section III The cleaning of Jacopo della Quercia’s fountain pieces New discoveries: what the restoration uncovered Chapter Four: The nineteenth-century Fonte Gaia Section I Life of the sculptor, Sarrocchi in Antonio Manetti’s studio Italian Purism The artistic climate at the Academy: Lorenzo Bartolini and Giovanni Duprè Sarrocchi’s early career Section II Giuseppe Partini Sarrocchi’s Fonte Gaia Commission and Reception Faithful copy or Purist revision? The differences between Sarrocchi’s Fonte Gaia and Jacopo della Quercia’s original monument Conclusion Appendice I Preliminary research on the condition of Jacopo della Quercia’s Fonte Gaia/ Dismantling of Jacopo della Quercia’s fountain and the treatments used in its cleaning Documents Bibliography
