Renaissance fashion, architecture, nudity and censorship - The curious transformation of the oldest fountain in Toulouse, France (Photography and Story)

La fontaine du Griffoul is the oldest fountain in Toulouse, built between 1547-49, the earliest elements include the marble basin at the bottom and four mascarons (decorative faces) filling it up. In 1593 inspired by the fashion of the Renaissance the fountain underwent restoration which included adding an obelisk resting on four bronze balls and four small men holding their penises, thus filling the basin with water.

In 1649, following a scandal and repeated complaints from residents bothered by the need to cross urinating penises every day, the little men were victims of censorship. The municipality made some alteration to the fountain, and ever since then the men do not hold their penises anymore but water-spouting fish instead, and although not really clear in the photo with the figures of the statues, the penises were actually covered by leaves.

This case is similar to that of the obelisk of Paris (originally placed in Luxor), offered to France by Muhammad Ali, ruler of Egypt, in recognition for France’s assistance in modernizing Egypt militarily and economically and for Champollion’s work on hieroglyphics (and also in exchange of a mechanical clock, which still exists in a clock-tower at Cairo Citadel, but alas is faulty). The original base carrying the obelisk was shaped as sixteen baboons with erect penises. After a scandal at Place de la Concorde, King Louis-Philippe I made alterations to the base… Long story short, the monkeys are now displayed in the Louvre.

With that being said, Renaissance phalluses enthusiasts can find comfort in the Fontaine des Pisseurs in Lacaune, Tarn, which never fell victim to censorship ever since it was completed in 1559, as one can suspect from its name.