Fontaine Saint-Sulpice
Encyclopedia
The Fontaine Saint-Sulpice (also known as the Fontaine de la place Saint-Sulpice or as the Fontaine des Orateurs-Sacré) is a monumental fountain located in Place Saint-Sulpice
in the 6th arrondissement of Paris. It was constructed between 1843 and 1848 by the architect Louis Visconti, who also designed he tomb of Napoleon.
The four figures on the fountain represent four French religious figures of the 17th century famous for their eloquence.
in the Place de la Concorde
(1840); the fountains of the Champs-Elysees
;(1839–40) the Fontaine Molière (1841–1844); the Fontaine Cuvier (1840–1846) and the Fontaine Saint-Sulpice.
Rambuteau ordered that the theme of the fountain would be religious elequence, since the fountain was placed in front of a church and near an important seminary. Visconti prepared several different projects in March 1843 to the Conseil des batiments civil. After some modifications, the project was approved and construction took place between 1843 and 1848, and was completed in the year when the Revolution of 1848 brought down the government of Louis-Philippe.
The final fountain had two distinct parts; the fountain itself, composed of three octagonal basins. The second basin was decorated with sculptures of lions made of stone from Derre, which had the coat of arms of Paris; and the third had masks which spouted water. The second part of the fountain was the religious structure; a quatrilateral edifice with four niches, with a dome, corinthian pilasters, and four niches which contained the statues of the orators.
The fountain was criticized when it opened; first, because it hid the entrance of the church; second, because of the incoherence of the iconography and details; one critic noted that the vases pouring water were "veritable cooking pots." Describing the lions, another critic wrote that "everything about them shows their irritation at the water pouring onto their rear ends.".
Place Saint-Sulpice
The large public space at the Place Saint Sulpice, which is dominated on its eastern side by the church of Saint-Sulpice, was built in 1754 as a tranquil garden in the Latin Quarter of the 6th arrondissement of Paris.-Attractions of the square:...
in the 6th arrondissement of Paris. It was constructed between 1843 and 1848 by the architect Louis Visconti, who also designed he tomb of Napoleon.
The four figures on the fountain represent four French religious figures of the 17th century famous for their eloquence.
- BossuetJacques-Bénigne BossuetJacques-Bénigne Bossuet was a French bishop and theologian, renowned for his sermons and other addresses. He has been considered by many to be one of the most brilliant orators of all time and a masterly French stylist....
, North, statue by Jean-Jacques FeuchèreJean-Jacques FeuchèreJean-Jacques Feuchère was a French sculptor.He was a student of Jean-Pierre Cortot, and among his students was Jacques-Léonard Maillet.-Selected works:* Relief panel Le Pont d'Arcole, Arc de Triomphe, Paris, 1833-1834... - FénelonFrançois FénelonFrançois de Salignac de la Mothe-Fénelon, more commonly known as François Fénelon , was a French Roman Catholic archbishop, theologian, poet and writer...
, West, statue by François LannoFrançois LannoFrançois Gaspard Aimé Lanno was a French sculptor. He was a pupil of François-Frédéric Lemot and Pierre Cartellier... - FléchierEsprit FléchierEsprit Fléchier was a French preacher and author, Bishop of Nîmes from 1687 to 1710.-Life:He was born at Pernes-les-Fontaines, in the département of Vaucluse, in the Comtat Venaissin, and brought up at Tarascon by his uncle, Hercule Audiffret, superior of the Congrégation des Doctrinaires...
, East, statue by Louis DesprezLouis DesprezLouis Desprez was a French sculptor.Born in Paris, he was a pupil of Francois Joseph Bosio. He went to Rome after winning the Prix de Rome for Sculpture in 1826. He was principally distinguished for his busts and portrait statues.... - MassillonJean Baptiste MassillonJean Baptiste Massillon was a French Catholic bishop and famous preacher, Bishop of Clermont from 1717 until his death.-Early years:Massillon was born at Hyères in Provence where his father was a royal notary...
, South, statue by Jacques-Auguste Fauginet, completed by Fouquiet after the death of Fauginet.
History of the Fontaine Saint-Sulpice
The fountain was commissioned by Rambuteau, the prefet of the Seine in the government of King Louis-Philippe I. Rambuteau took office in 1833 and began an amibitious program to improve the city water supply and build new fountains. He built 200 kilometers of new water mains and, more important, 1700 small fountains around Paris to supply water, so that monumental fountains could be purely decorative, and did not have to provide drinking water. The most important monumental fountains he constructed were the Fontaines de la ConcordeFontaines de la Concorde
The Fontaines de la Concorde are two monumental fountains located in the Place de la Concorde in the center of Paris. They were designed by Jacques Ignace Hittorff, and completed in 1840 during the reign of King Louis-Philippe...
in the Place de la Concorde
Place de la Concorde
The Place de la Concorde in area, it is the largest square in the French capital. It is located in the city's eighth arrondissement, at the eastern end of the Champs-Élysées.- History :...
(1840); the fountains of the Champs-Elysees
Champs-Élysées
The Avenue des Champs-Élysées is a prestigious avenue in Paris, France. With its cinemas, cafés, luxury specialty shops and clipped horse-chestnut trees, the Avenue des Champs-Élysées is one of the most famous streets and one of the most expensive strip of real estate in the world. The name is...
;(1839–40) the Fontaine Molière (1841–1844); the Fontaine Cuvier (1840–1846) and the Fontaine Saint-Sulpice.
Rambuteau ordered that the theme of the fountain would be religious elequence, since the fountain was placed in front of a church and near an important seminary. Visconti prepared several different projects in March 1843 to the Conseil des batiments civil. After some modifications, the project was approved and construction took place between 1843 and 1848, and was completed in the year when the Revolution of 1848 brought down the government of Louis-Philippe.
The final fountain had two distinct parts; the fountain itself, composed of three octagonal basins. The second basin was decorated with sculptures of lions made of stone from Derre, which had the coat of arms of Paris; and the third had masks which spouted water. The second part of the fountain was the religious structure; a quatrilateral edifice with four niches, with a dome, corinthian pilasters, and four niches which contained the statues of the orators.
The fountain was criticized when it opened; first, because it hid the entrance of the church; second, because of the incoherence of the iconography and details; one critic noted that the vases pouring water were "veritable cooking pots." Describing the lions, another critic wrote that "everything about them shows their irritation at the water pouring onto their rear ends.".