Field Visit
Date 11 June 2001
Event ID 612544
Category Recording
Type Field Visit
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/612544
Large fountain with four female figures seated between semi-circular basins with consoles. One holds a lyre, another a globe (and compass?) a third holds a mallet (?) and governor mechanism (?). The fourth held a palette and artist's brush.
Surmounted by a standing female figure with cornucopia. Below are four basins with two mermaids seated by each, pouring water into the basins from urns on their shoulders.
At the base is a large twelve-sided pool decorated on the outside with mythical beasts' heads. Beyond that is a large circular pool.
4 female figures represent poetry, science, industry and art.
See Inscriptions
Inscriptions : On metal plaque on stand beyond side of fountain (erected 2001):
THE ROSS FOUNTAIN made of cast-iron at the foundry / of ANTOINE DURENNE near Paris, France was shown at the / Exhibition of 1862 in London. / DANIEL ROSS, a local gun-maker interested in art and natural / science, bought and gifted it to the City of Edinburgh. It was / shipped in 122 pieces and arrived at Leith in September 1869. / Sadly, he died before the fountain was operational in 1872. / The figures were sculpted by JEAN-BAPTISTE KLAGMANN / who also made works for the Louvre and de Medici fountains in / Paris. The first tier has lion's head spouts and mermaid figures / with flowing urns, sitting on scallop-shell basins. The four upper / figures depict Science, Art, Poetry and Industry. At the top a / beautifully modelled figure holds a cornucopia-cup of plenty. / In 2001 the fountain was fully restored in a collaboration between / The City of Edinburgh Council and East of Scotland Water.
.EDINBURGH.
THE CITY OF EDINBURGH COUNCIL
[logo]
East of Scotland Water
Signatures : On each of the four sides of the fountain base:
A. DURENNE / MAITRE DE FORGES / SOMMEVOIRE HTE MARNE
Design period : 1862 - 1872
Year of unveiling : 1869 - 1872
Information from Public Monuments and Sculpture Association (PMSA Work Ref : EDIN0179)
