The Fountains of Rome

Fountain of the Naiads

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Fountain of the Naiads, Piazza della Repubblica, Rome
Fountain of the Naiads
The Fontana delle Naiadi (Fountain of the Naiads) is one of the largest of Rome's myriad of fountains and sits in the centre of one of its busiest squares, Piazza della Repubblica. 
The Fountain of the Naiads, which was the mostra (display-point) of the Acqua Pia Antica Marcia (an aqueduct built between 1865 and 1870), was originally devoid of decoration. In 1888, on the occasion of a visit to Rome by the German Kaiser Wilhelm II,  four plaster lions were added to it. The lions were later replaced by the four naiads, which gave the fountain its name.
Statue of Glaucus, Fountain of the Naiads, Piazza della Repubblica, Rome
Glaucus
In the centre of the fountain stands Glaucus, a fisherman who became a god of the sea. Clasping a dolphin, which spouts a powerful jet of water, Glaucus is surrounded by four naiads (water-nymphs), whose nudity and languorous poses caused a sensation when first unveiled.
One of the Water Nymphs, Fountain of the Naiads, Piazza della Repubblica, Rome
One of the Four Naiads
The naiads were added in 1901 and are the work of the Sicilian sculptor Mario Rutelli (1859-1941). Glaucus was added in 1911 and is the work of the same sculptor. 

In Greek mythology, naiads are the female spirits who preside over fountains, wells, springs, streams, brooks and other bodies of freshwater. Each naiad reclines on a different type of aquatic creature. ​
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