Fontana delle Tette

The Fontana delle Tette recalls a distinctive tradition of civic celebration in Treviso. Its female figure was designed to dispense red and white wine from the breasts, linking a public fountain with the ceremonies of Venetian government.

Why it matters

The fountain is associated with the podestà Alvise Da Ponte's commission of 1559 after a period of drought. Historical accounts describe wine being distributed when a new podestà took office, turning a utilitarian urban feature into a public expression of abundance and authority.

What to notice

The sculpted torso presses its hands to the breasts above the basin. The figure in the courtyard of Palazzo Zignoli is a modern copy, distinct from the damaged original preserved by the civic collections. A commemorative inscription helps connect the replacement with the older fountain's story.

Context and history

The original belonged to the Pretorio complex near Calmaggiore. Its wine custom is associated with the period before the Venetian Republic fell in 1797. Luigi Bailo later recovered the damaged sculpture. The copy made in 1989 returned the image to the cityscape while allowing the older stone to be conserved separately.