Bernini's Fountain of the Four Rivers

About this artwork

Research in Progress

Art Historical Context

Behold the intricate print *Bernini's Fountain of the Rivers* by François de Poilly the Younger a French engraver (1671–1723) who captured the grandeur of Gian Lorenzo Bernini's masterpiece around 1707. This work reproduces the dramatic Fontana dei Fiumi in Rome's Piazza Navona, in 1651. Bernini's fountain allegorically celebrates the world's great rivers—ile, Ganges, Danube, and de la Plata—through dynamic sculptures of river gods amid rocky outcrops, an obelisk, and cascading water, embodying the exuberance of 17th-century Roman Baroque art. As a print, likely an engraving, Poilly's rendition played a vital role in art dissemination during the late Baroque era. Prints like this allowed collectors and enthusiasts across Europe to experience iconic sculptures without traveling to Italy, preserving and popularizing Bernini's genius. Poilly, part of a noted family of engravers, excelled in translating three-dimensional drama into precise, tonal lines that evoke movement and light. Housed in the Smithsonian American Art Museum through the generous gift of Eleanor and Sarah Hewitt, this piece highlights prints' cultural importance as accessible bridges to high art. Though research continues, it invites us to marvel at how 18th-century techniques immortalized timeless spectacle.