Monday, 18 March 2024

From RayR: Spanish style Fountain for Santo Domingo [Art] (35 points)

 



The country now known as Haiti was once called Hispaniola by the Spanish who discovered the island in 1492. The French had a colony on the eastern side of the island, they called it, Saint-Domingue, the Spanish called it Santo Domingo and the English Saint Domingo.


In Cap-Francis, the capital of Saint-Domingue, a fountain was built to honour the namesake of the colony St Dominic. It was built in the 1720 by the renowned French sculptor and painter Ramon Mentuer Pantalon de Feu. It took just over a year to construct, and as it neared completion, Ramon succumbed to a yellow fever that also took his wife and 6 French art students and labourers who accompanied him to Saint-Domingue from his studio in Mensonges,a suburb of Paris. The four un-named students who survived finished the work of the fountain.
The statue was damaged by a runaway donkey and cart in the late 1780, when St Dominic's pointing arm was broken off, I have chosen to keep the arm in place and not snap it off, for art's sake!!
The statue and fountain can still be found in Cap-Francis, or rather Port Royal as it is known today.



The fountain is from Tablescape in the UK. I bought it at the Cavalier wargames show in February.


I'd been eyeing it up for a couple of years and finally took the plunge. John the owner explained that the centre plinth was left open so any gamer could put any statue they wanted on top.


I chose a Monk, from Iron Gate Scenery, to use as a St Dominic substitute, I think it works rather well?


I did put some Woodland Scenery water effect, into the fountain, but it hasn't shown up in any of the photo's at all, I guess I should have added a little blue paint to the mix?


Here's a pic of the fountain when bought from Tablescape.


Art: Tap into your muse and show you artistic side, or perhaps do something about an artistic subject.

Well I'd say Ramon's fountain fits perfectly into the art bonus round??

As for the points, 5 for St Dominic and 20 for the bonus and whatever today Minion decides to give me for the fountain? it measures 4x4 inch with a height of just under 3 inches, not including the figure.


Ah, I would almost say that it is just like you to come up with a difficult minioning task at the last moment, master Ray. However, I guess you're lucky to find the Junior Assistant Librarian, who is in a fine mood on a beautiful spring day. Yes, the fountain fits nicely in the Art theme and shall we say half a cube or 10 points for it? I love the background to the story (especially the traffic accident) and I must say that you have chosen well for your Saint Dominic stature, even if it still has its arm. No doubt it is due to the influence of the venerable holy man that the water is so completely clear! Well, there you have it, 35 points for you. Well done!

Martijn


8 comments:

  1. That water is impossibly clear! I have been confused by all the name changes in the Caribbean previously.

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  2. Beautifully clear water in the Caribbean. Very nice fountain and statue too.

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  3. Great work Ray! Now you need an action shot version with the runaway Donkey.

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