Actually called The Fountain of the Virtues, this three level fountain in Nuremberg features the six virtues of the Middle Ages crowned by the virtue of Justice. The figures represent Faith, Hope, Charity, Courage, Temperance and Patience. The middle tier displays six cupids with coats of arms from Nuremberg and the Holy Roman Empire. Sculpted by Benedikt Wurzelbauer in 1589, fountain water plummets from the breasts of the six virtues. Created in the Mannerist style, lactating fountains were popular back in the day. A sign of never ending protection and fertility, the fountain attests to the constancy of the virtues as guides in our daily lives. However, in todays day and age when Jennifer Lawrences leaked nude photos are a more popular news story than beheaded journalists, its easy to see why the concept of the virtues might be lost on the public. The virtues of the fountain are not lost on the strange figure hiding behind the women. Look closely, hes watching.
