La Fontana dell'Aquila di Bernini (1629), Villa Mattei

Speranza



The fountains at TIVOLI supply the background to the first INDEPENDENT fountains by BERNINI.

The more remarkable of these, the FONTANA DELL'AQUILA in the VILLA MATTEI (1629) has been destroyed, but we know from engravings that it was set against a cliff, and consisted of a shallow, shell-like basin supported by three dolphins.

In the basin stood three upright scallop shells , and above them, as though alighting on the rock, was a COLOSSAL EAGLE with outstretched wings.