Among the most famous fountains of Rome we absolutely have to include one of the Bernini's masterpiece: the Fountain of Triton! It is always a great pleasure for me to see my astonished tourists where they are in front of this work of art, when during a tour I stop here in observing the people and appreciating how impressed they are. And now it is time to be surprised with me,

We are in Piazza Barberini, located  in the city centre, few steps from the Trevi Fountain and other famous exhibition and the monument in the city. In less than one year, between 1642 and 1643, the pope Urban VIII decided to create this work of art as "a public ornament of the city". The beauty of the creation by Bernini is simply mind-boggling: Triton, mythical creature, stands on a large shell, sustained by four huge dolphins. The whole masterpiece is dominated by the papal coat of arms ,enriched by the bees of the Barberini family (Urban VIII was a member of this important clan). Above the conch stands the Triton in all his perfection, strength and dynamism, caught in the act of blowing by a twisted "bùccina". Triton is striving himself in order to lift the heavy marine object, so much that everybody can feel the fatigue and the strength emanated by the mythological creature.

As always Bernini is able to immortalize the moment in which the energy is unleashed, transforming it into an action: the rounded cheeks of Triton, ready to blow with great impetus, are managed to give us the idea that the action is to be carried out. As viewers we are amazed by how the great genius of the Baroque has managed to make immortal a simple gesture that for the mythology has changed the entire world! Bernini, in fact, was inspired by an episode of the "Metamorphoses" by Ovid (and if you want another example of a myth by Ovid reused in a majestic way by the genius of the Baroque age, click here), in which Neptune himself called Triton to blow through the "bùccina". The world was ruled by the Chaos, and the Gods were trying to restore order to things. It will be Triton who, doing this gesture and blowing will bring back the waters of the world in their beds, bringing discipline and order. A gesture which, of course, was subtly used by the pope.

Pope Urban VIII wanted to show how he, as a sort of a new Triton and through his pontificate, could bring justice and order in Rome. For example, as in this case, he donated a new fountain to the city, very useful to get clean water. Water, that which gushes out from the fountain, which derives from the aqueduct inaugurated at the end of XVI century by Pope Sixtus V: this aqueduct was called "Felix Aqueduct" (from the name of the pope, Felice Peretti). In short, as often happened in Rome, the myths, legends and politics merge, in this case, a travertine wonder that only Bernini could make. I close the article leaving you the words used by the master for his creation:

"It stopped the fury of the sea, and laid his trident,
the god of the oceans calm the water down, called the blue Triton
that protrudes out of eddies with shoulders encrusted
of shells, and ordered him to blow his horn
sound, because that is the signal to be covered
waves and rivers. And took his bùccina quarry
and twisted, from the toe extends in the spiral,
the bùccina that, if you give a breath in the middle of the sea,
fills with her voice the coasts from east to west.
Even then, when the beard madida and brought it to his mouth
dripping and blowing on command, sounded the retreat,
heard that all the waters of the sea and of the mainland,
and all, udendola, resumed their borders.
Fall rivers and reappear, you can see the hills,
the sea regains a lido and the channels collect the torrents in full spate;
emerges from the ground, it will grow back the soil with the decrease of the waters,
and after days and days, show their peaks remains"