consideration. At the height of ten palms from the ground there are sixteen very ample jets of water, eight of them are thrown by the masks above-mentioned, four by the rivergods, and four by fishes seven palms high, which stand erect in the basin, and, with their mouths turned outwards, cast water from the same towards the side of the larger planes.
In the centre of the octangular basin, and on a socle formed to receive them, are Syrens, one at each angle namely, they have wings instead of arms, and these meeting in the centre support four Tritons, eight palms high,nota the tails of the latter are intertwined, and in their hands they hold an immense Tazza, into whichnota water is poured from four gigantic masks superbly sculptured. From the centre of that Tazza there rise two very hideous masks, purporting to represent Scylla and Charybdis; on these rest the feet of three Nymphs, nude figures, each six palms high, who bear the last Vase of the Fountain on high with their arms. In the Vase just mentioned are four Dolphins, their heads downwards, and their tails borne aloft to form a basement, whereon is a ball, from the midst of which proceed four heads, and these cast the waters of the fountain into the air, as do also the Dolphins before mentioned, on which are mounted four nude figures of children. Lastly, and on the uttermost summit of the Fountain, is an armed figure representing the Constellation Orion, bearing on a shield the arms of the city of Messina, of which it is related, or more properly fabled, that Orion was the founder.
This then is the Fountain of Messina, but it is manifestly not so easy to describe it in words as it would be to show it by a drawing:nota the Messinese, meanwhile, were so entirely satisfied with the work that they commissioned Fra Giovann' [1] [2] [3]
- ↑ Here there would seem to be a slight inaccuracy, since, to judge from a plate of this Fountain given in the Architecture Moderne de la Sicile, by Hittorff and Zanth, Paris, 1822, the Tritons are supported, not on the wings, but on the interlaced tails of the Syrens; and this may even be gathered from Vasari’s own words, since he says, “the tails of the Tritons are also intertwined.” It is to be remarked, however, that the present writer has not seen the Fountain in question, and cites the work of Hittorff and Zanth from memory only, not having it at hand.
- ↑ The masks pour the water into the low^er basin rather.
- ↑ See the Architecture Moderne, as above cited, where, if the present writer remembers correctly, the various details and accessories are to be found, as well as the ground-plan of the work.
