Fontana delle Tartarughe - meaning more haste less speed
Fontana delle Tartarughe - meaning more haste less speed
Fontana delle Tartarughe, Piazza Mattei
Fontana delle Tartarughe (Fountain of the Turtles), Piazza Mattei
Fontana delle Tartarughe, Piazza Mattei
Fontana delle Tartarughe, Piazza Mattei
Fontana delle Tartarughe, Piazza Mattei
Fontana delle Tartarughe, Piazza Mattei
Fontana delle Tartarughe, Piazza Mattei
Fontana delle Tartarughe, Piazza Mattei
In 1584, when the fountain was erected at Piazza Mattei, it did not have the same name as today (The Turtle Fountain), but event then it was one of the most beautiful structures of this type. It was situated at the back of the Jewish ghetto, among the old palaces of the Mattei family. Its founder was one of the family representatives – Muzio Mattei, who in exchange for supplying water for his residence obliged to arrange the grounds, pave the square and build a fountain on it.
In 1584, when the fountain was erected at Piazza Mattei, it did not have the same name as today (The Turtle Fountain), but event then it was one of the most beautiful structures of this type. It was situated at the back of the Jewish ghetto, among the old palaces of the Mattei family. Its founder was one of the family representatives – Muzio Mattei, who in exchange for supplying water for his residence obliged to arrange the grounds, pave the square and build a fountain on it.
The stone fountain, was of course created by the principal creator of Roman fountains Giacomo della Porta, but it was decorated with four bronze figures of ephebes floating over the surface of the water and leaning on the heads of dolphins, by the mannerist Florentine sculptor – Taddeo Landini. According to the design the arms of the ephebes were to support the figures of other, small dolphins, combining in this way the lower vasque of the fountain with its upper part. Why this did not come about, is unknown. However, this unfinished work raised so many dilemmas, that several decades later (1658) Gian Lorenzo Bernini himself was called by Pope Alexander VII to finish it. And as was his custom he created something which was not expected of him – an original, but at the same time based on a Baroque concept and an allegorical message, complement. Instead of the assumed small dolphins, Bernini placed four marble turtles at the upper bowl of the fountain, which seem to be supported by figures of youths, thus allowing them to quench their thirst. Thus dolphins symbolizing speed and agility in the lower part were combined with creatures symbolizing slowness and sluggishness, which in reality provided an excellent illustration of the Latin proverb: Festina lente (More haste less speed).
In 1979 one of the turtles was stolen, and at that time it was decided to remove the rest and replace them with copies.
Speaking of this fountain, it is of course impossible not to repeat the well-known Roman legend, according to which the aforementioned Muzio Mattei on the day before his marriage proposal and meeting his future father-in-law and the rich along with the beautiful bride promised to him, lost all his fortune in a game of cards, which unequivocally destroyed all his chances for marriage. Unfazed with this, he invited guests to his house for supper, during which works were diligently being carried out to complete the fountain. After the works were finished Muzio opened the window and said to the feasting guests: “Here’s what one penniless Mattei is capable of achieving in a few hours.” It seems that this show of resourcefulness and entrepreneurship by the young man made a great impression on the future father-in-law as he gave him his daughter’s hand in marriage. The wiandow of the palace, from which the miraculous construction of the fountain was being watched is today closed up – reportedly at the order of Muzio himself.
Palazzo Mattei di Giove – a salon and an open-air museum
Szanowny użytkowniku!
Zgodnie z art. 13 ust. 1 i ust. 2 rozporządzenia Parlamentu Europejskiego i Rady (UE) 2016/679 z 27 kwietnia 2016 r. w sprawie ochrony osób fizycznych w związku z przetwarzaniem danych osobowych i w sprawie swobodnego przepływu takich danych oraz uchylenia dyrektywy 95/46/WE (RODO), informujemy, że Administratorem Pani/Pana danych osobowych jest firma: Econ-sk GmbH, Billbrookdeich 103, 22113 Hamburg, Niemcy
Przetwarzanie Pani/Pana danych osobowych będzie się odbywać na podstawie art. 6 RODO i w celu marketingowym Administrator powołuje się na prawnie uzasadniony interes, którym jest zbieranie danych statystycznych i analizowanie ruchu na stronie internetowej. Podanie danych osobowych na stronie internetowej http://roma-nonpertutti.com/ jest dobrowolne.
