Nereïdenfontein in Buenos Aires 1904 - 1905

This photograph shows the Nereïdenfontein in Buenos Aires, made of stone and water, and presumably designed by an architect and sculpted by artisans. The stone conveys a sense of permanence and grandeur, while the water adds an element of movement and life to the static material. The monument’s construction likely involved quarrying, carving, and assembly, processes that were deeply embedded in the social and economic structures of the time. The skilled labor required to transform raw stone into such an elaborate fountain speaks to the cultural values placed on craftsmanship and artistic expression, a collaboration between the architect's vision and the stone carvers' hands. We might think about how the aesthetic of classical sculpture carries associations with power and status, and about the cultural aspirations of Buenos Aires at the time the fountain was erected. By looking closely at its materiality and production, we can understand the monument’s complex relationship to society.