The mosaics in the monumental light fountain (G. Guerrini, G. Rosso, G. Severini)

To decorate the fountain that welcomes visitors to the square in front of Palazzo Uffici,  E42's Artistic Department entrusted the work to three artists specialising in mosaic work: Gino Severini, Giulio Rosso and Giovanni Guerrini.  The mosaics, in black and white, run along the long sides of the basin, which is at ground level and divided into three sections.  In this way, the decoration is divided into panels, in which each artist develops his own theme individually. A film of water covered the pictures, making them shine; the work was completed in 1940.
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE WORK
Severini was entrusted with the six panels that run along the whole of the central basin, representing the mythical origins of Rome in propaganda terms. In the panel showing Saturn, the god holds a scythe in his left hand and an hourglass in his right, symbolising his role as protector of the fields and governor of time; significantly, the god rests his feet on a cornucopia and some sheaves of corn (symbols of abundance), which are flanked by a fasces, suggesting that the richness of the fields derives from the splendours of the regime.
Alongside Saturn, four semi-recumbent women symbolise the alternation of the four seasons.  Giovanni Guerrini dedicated his subject to Rome's domination of the seas, taking his inspiration from the mosaics discovered during those years at Ostia Antica. In the representation, from left to right Aeneas lands at the mouth of the Tiber, Rome as maritime divinity, the Destruction of Carthage.
Finally, Giulio Rosso's depictions, at the south end of the fountain, tell of the splendours of the regime through its buildings, land reclamation works, industry, fine arts and armed forces. Here again the figurative repertoire is taken from the ancient tradition, which had already been applied in the mosaics in Piazzale dell'Impero in the Foro Italico.