Lehaut Posted February 8 Share Posted February 8 This was new to me, perhaps not so to others more learned on the forum. Have seen these all over France (and one in London). Each time I see them in Nantes on the "green line" walk, I am reminded of others I have seen around France and have wondered about their history. Designed by a sculpture from Nantes, they were, in fact financed and roughly designed by a Brit - Sir Richard Wallace! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wallace_fountain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judith Posted February 8 Share Posted February 8 Possibly the same Wallace who also founded the Wallace Collection in Manchester Square in London. My favourite museum in London. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
menthe Posted February 8 Share Posted February 8 Lehaut, do you watch "Invitation au voyage" on Arte? It's on lat afternoon, about 5.30 every weekday. I learned about these fountains from one of the programmes. It's a marvellously enjoyable programme.. would take.too long to describe the contents. The only trouble is, it whizzes around the world at jet speed and you have to watch with attention! Only a couple of weeks ago on the programme, I learned that the Pilates (Joseph) who invented the exercises to keep his fellow prisoners in good physical and mental shape was himself a POW on the Isle of Man. And there was me, knowing nothing about this piece of information, who claim to have practised pilates daily since about 2020. I recounted the contents of the showing to some French friends from pilates class and they were also fascinated. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hectorsdad Posted February 8 Share Posted February 8 The rain in The Surrey Hills this morning has prevented me from working on our car in the drive so I was having a lazy day when I found this posting. Although I have walked the streets of Paris, either sightseeing or just getting to the various stations, I have not noticed these water fountains but I must have passed them. Do they currently supply potable water? Google Maps clearly shows one in the courtyard and some kind person has included a good image in the photos section. Next time when we visit the Wallace Collection I will show off my new found knowledge to wife. It is very interesting how Richard Wallace developed such a strong empathy with Paris and her people. I wonder if they are aware of his connection with the fountains. Several of our friends have tried Pilates but I doubt they have any idea of the origins. There is plenty of background information on the Internet and I have made a start discovering some of the details. Thanks for the prompts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loiseau Posted February 8 Share Posted February 8 How fascinating! I had never been aware of them, despite having lived in Paris for a time. i shall scurry off to the Wallace Collection to admire my nearest one! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judith Posted February 8 Share Posted February 8 I don't remember seeing a fountain the couryard at the Wallace, but it might have one .. I really must check him out beyond what I really knew already! He was very rich, and the collection is very much his own likes, plus his will stated that it can never be lent or split up ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hectorsdad Posted February 8 Share Posted February 8 I can see it on the satellite image which is probably quite recent. It is the green blob to the right of the main entrance as you look at it from outside. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judith Posted February 8 Share Posted February 8 Et voilà, Mesdames, Messieurs! All you need to know about the fountains ... one of the pages gives more information about Sir Richard ... https://wallacefountains.org/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judith Posted February 8 Share Posted February 8 (edited) 2 hours ago, Hectorsdad said: I can see it on the satellite image which is probably quite recent. It is the green blob to the right of the main entrance as you look at it from outside. Couldn't see it on the map I looked at. Or on the Wallace Collection web page. Any chance of a link?? Edited February 8 by Judith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judith Posted February 8 Share Posted February 8 More about the fountains on this site: https://www.wallacecollection.org/explore/collection/history-collection/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loiseau Posted February 9 Share Posted February 9 Aha, found a fuzzy photo on which the London one appears: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hectorsdad Posted February 9 Share Posted February 9 This is a photo from the “photos” tab in Google maps at the Wallace Collection. https://maps.app.goo.gl/tUnBa6mNcXuro5Ay9?g_st=ic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hectorsdad Posted February 9 Share Posted February 9 My last post was an attempt to copy just one photo but it has failed to get beyond the map. Sorry! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judith Posted February 9 Share Posted February 9 8 hours ago, Loiseau said: Aha, found a fuzzy photo on which the London one appears: Thanks Loiseau, I really have no memory of seeing that there, and I went so many times when I lived in London (it was about 10-15 minsutes walk from us). But is it a fountain, or just a statue - impossible to tell from that photo and there is no mention of it at all that I could find on the Wallace Collection page. More research, I think! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveLister Posted February 9 Share Posted February 9 Notes of the Wallace fountain at Hertford house. Apparently it's for display purposes only. https://wallacefountains.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/London.pdf This gives a list of the fountains worldwide. https://wallacefountains.org/about-sir-wallace-and-his-fountains/wallace-fountains-worldwide/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hectorsdad Posted February 9 Share Posted February 9 Well Lehaut, you have a lot to answer for! There is a mass of information out there and DL’s second link is very interesting. It states that there are 109 Wallace Fountains in Paris and that site lists all of them together with a set of walks to discover them all. It suggests there are a few in Barcelona so I may enlist my son and granddaughters to locate at least one and report back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judith Posted February 9 Share Posted February 9 DL, thanks, I didn't hunt down the London side of things .. well it was certainly there when I used to visit, but either I walked past it without seeing it, or thought it was just another fountain of which there are plenty in London, but though I visited the meseum a lot, I do not remember seeing anything about the fountain ..and I did not know about the Wallace Fountains either. I'm not an historian by profession - just an interested amateur. Mind you in those days (before the extension at the back was built and they brought in professional PR people) it might not have had anything said about it. I used to love going in, ignoring the armour (sorry - not my thing) but loved the long gallery, and the Victorian toilets had to be seen to be believed. I think they are now replaced by modern monstrocities in the above mentioned extension where the rather expensive restaurant now is. I only ever ate there when with friends - I lived close enough to walk home to eat!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loiseau Posted February 9 Share Posted February 9 Well, I betook myself to the Wallace Collection today in the rain and, indeed, found a magnificent shiny fountain, adorned with muscular caryatids. After a pleasant wander through the first-floor galleries (my goodness, that guy just didn't know where to stop with his collection of paintings!), I ducked into the shop and saw on the very first shelf the guidebook mentioned above. French-published, and in two languages, it contains suggested walks around Paris to find all the fountains. Looks great fun, though at £11.95 a copy I thought I wouldn't invest in it just yet. Better wait till a trip to Paris is in the offing. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveLister Posted February 10 Share Posted February 10 Well I have to admit I'd never heard of Wallace or his fountains before this thread. I'm off to London for Easter and, following Loiseau's and Judith's reviews, I think I'll make a visit to the museum. According to the website there's supposed to be one in Uzes so I may try and hunt that one down as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lehaut Posted February 10 Author Share Posted February 10 11 hours ago, Judith said: ignoring the armour (sorry - not my thing) Might not be yours but we visited it in 2008 (where do the years go!) Our eldest (then 14) enjoyed trying on the armour, shocked by the weight! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judith Posted February 10 Share Posted February 10 2 hours ago, DaveLister said: Well I have to admit I'd never heard of Wallace or his fountains before this thread. I'm off to London for Easter and, following Loiseau's and Judith's reviews, I think I'll make a visit to the museum. According to the website there's supposed to be one in Uzes so I may try and hunt that one down as well. There are some famous pictures in it, well worth seeing.. but I won't tell you what the are and spoil the surprise ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judith Posted February 10 Share Posted February 10 1 hour ago, Lehaut said: Might not be yours but we visited it in 2008 (where do the years go!) Our eldest (then 14) enjoyed trying on the armour, shocked by the weight! Indeed, for kids it's a dream .. and is a very important collection, I believe. I did look the first time I went, but ignored that floor from then on, apart from visiting the loos, as described above, as I'd see enough armour, and preferred lovely the pictures on the first floor grand gallery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judith Posted February 10 Share Posted February 10 (edited) 11 hours ago, Loiseau said: Well, I betook myself to the Wallace Collection today in the rain and, indeed, found a magnificent shiny fountain, adorned with muscular caryatids. After a pleasant wander through the first-floor galleries (my goodness, that guy just didn't know where to stop with his collection of paintings!), I ducked into the shop and saw on the very first shelf the guidebook mentioned above. French-published, and in two languages, it contains suggested walks around Paris to find all the fountains. Looks great fun, though at £11.95 a copy I thought I wouldn't invest in it just yet. Better wait till a trip to Paris is in the offing. Thank you so much, Loiseau. I must have seen it, but probably never stopped to read the sign, so never realised that there so many other fountains in Paris. I think you'll find the book is even more expensive in Paris! Edited February 10 by Judith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judith Posted February 10 Share Posted February 10 I'd just like to say how nice it has been to have such an informative posting, with really excellent discussions. Such a nice change from some of the more usual exchanges. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loiseau Posted February 10 Share Posted February 10 Yes, thank you Lehaut for opening our eyes to these quirky structures. It's been fascinating to read about them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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