One Terra Cotta Fountain

late 19th century

early 20th century

ONE TERRA COTTA FOUNTAIN (English, 19th century) by Mark Henry Blanchard (English, 1816-1892) of Blanchard & Co., Bishops Waltham, England. The scallop shell basin is supported by four cranes with lowered heads surrounding the central column. The column is further embellished with figural lily pad and acanthus motifs, the column ends in a scrolled beaded base. The lead figural fountainhead of a putto holding a wriggling fish (early 20th century) is modeled after Andrea del Verrocchio’s (Italian, 1435-1488) "Putto with Dolphin" (Italian, c. 1470), which was commissioned by Lorenzo de’Medici to adorn his Careggi villa, it was later moved by Cosimo I in 1557 to adorn the fountain in Palazzo Vecchio, Florence.

English

terra cotta

lead

Height: 91"

Gift of Mr. J. Edgar Monroe, 1971.

PSNC.1580

The fountain is illustrated on the title page of: "Blanchard & Co.'s Illustrated Catalogue of Beautiful Works of Art in Terra Cotta", published circa 1850.