Fontana dei Putti, Renaissance fountain in Gesualdo, Italy

The Fontana dei Putti is a fountain in Gesualdo carved from local stone. Its bas-relief shows two putti holding the town's civic coat of arms, flanked by two lions whose mouths spout water from the Valle delle Canape springs. Carved fruit on the side pilasters frames the lion masks, and the goddess Lilith appears between the spouts.

The fountain was built in 1605 when Carlo Gesualdo, a renowned madrigal composer, was living in the village. This period marked a time when artistic craftsmanship flourished in Gesualdo.

The relief shows two putti holding Gesualdo's civic coat of arms, framed by lions whose mouths spout water from the Valle delle Canape springs. Carved fruits on the side pilasters refer to the land's abundance, while the goddess Lilith between the lions warns against abusing it.

The fountain sits in the central plaza and is easy to find when walking through the village's narrow streets. The location is open and can be visited at any time of day.

Between the two lions that spout water from the Valle delle Canape springs, the fountain's carvers placed Lilith, the goddess of the dead and of the abyss. Her dark image stands as a warning against abusing abundance, which the carved fruits on the side pilasters represent.