CONSIDERING PROFESSIONAL PLUMBING AS AN ART
Imagine walking into the most beautiful house you’ve ever seen. There is priceless art hanging on the walls, a beautiful sculpture on the coffee table, fancy crown molding and cathedral-style ceilings. There are old and new books neatly lined on built-in bookcases and calming music playing in the background.
When you look down, you notice you are standing on a hand-woven Persian rug, and there are wood carvings everywhere. What we just described would look slightly different to every person imagining it, even though the items comprising it are the same.
What we described is also several forms of art, from literature, architecture, carvings, and sculptures, to music. What we didn’t describe was the professional plumbing or pipes used--because that’s not art--or is it?
We’re going to take a look at how professional plumbing became and is considered an art form. Keep reading for more information!
School Time: Art History
The word ‘art’ comes from the word ‘artifice.’ The definition of artifice includes words like trickery and fakery. However, if it is further broken down to its Latin roots, you can see that it basically relates to ‘workmanship.’
If plumbing doesn’t require fine workmanship and skill, we don’t know what does! This also means that simply by existing, plumbing and pipes are art because someone had to create them.
The earliest known plumbing dates back to 4,000-3,000 BC to the ancient Egyptians. Greeks and Romans also used plumbing techniques in their civilizations.
However, what you may recognize as ‘modern’ plumbing, didn’t occur until 1829 by Isaiah Rogers. Isaiah Rogers was the first plumber to put indoor plumbing into action in the Tremont Hotel.
Famous Plumbing Around The World
You can probably name a famous bridge, sculpture, book, or painting, but can you name a famous plumbing fixture? We bet you can!
Whether you realize it or not, they are seen all over the world and are featured in movies on a regular basis. Rome has numerous famous fountains with one of the better-known ones being the Trevi Fountain.
There is also the Fountain of Wealth in Singapore and the Fountains of Bellagio in Las Vegas. To be fair, there are famous fountains all over, but there are also aqueducts built all over the world, that are often featured in iconic photographs and paintings.
The Fountains of Bellagio is very recognizable in the United States as this particular site puts on water shows the incorporate lights and music. This particular fountain is so iconic because it incorporates so many other types of media.
Plumbing, The Arts, And The Suburbs
If you live in the suburbs or in a neighborhood, you may see a designed pond. Oftentimes, these ponds will have their own fountains.
Other times, your area may have a splash pad or a pool for hot days, and you likely have some form of irrigation system. All of these have been installed by a skilled plumber to ensure that they work and the water moves as its supposed to.
Also, consider your flowers. If you have your flowers watered every day by an irrigation system, that is a type of plumbing and the sewer lines that keep sewage out of the street and your home are responsible for keeping the area pleasant and odor free.
It’s All in Perspective
It’s understandable if you are still skeptical about viewing plumbing as a type of art. The most important thing to remember is that it is built and installed by a skilled craftsman and that it can be beautiful.
Seeing plumbing as beautiful is all in how you look at it--fountains are beautiful, but so are the flowers that grow consistently thanks to the hard work and knowledge of a plumber.
If you like our perspective on plumbing as an art, share it with your friends. They may have the same viewpoint!