Now, the enfacement was left almost severely plain while the sculptors concentrated upon classic wall fountains carved completely in the round within the recess. Before, the basin was usually of an oblong, trough-like shape reminiscent of ancient sarcophagi or of the great bathtubs from Roman thermae. There has been a drawing of some wall fountains by some follower of Mantegna preserved in the Uffizi which indicate this type of fountains. The drawing also proves that this type was already known in Italy in the late fifteenth century. The full development however is attributed to the Cinquecento. In present times, among the paths and roads of many Italian towns, wall fountains of the classic type can still be seen.

Classic wall fountains flourished particularly at Rome where there was an endless supply of antique marbles for wall fountains. The limitless amount of antique marbles was utilized for decoration. What was needed was a niche for the wall fountains like an ancient river god and a sarcophagus to serve as a basin.

From some resources, the famous garden of the Belvedere in the Vatican which is rich in classical sculpture set the example for such pastiches to all Italy. Four ancient statues were incorporated into wall fountains. They were the three river gods: the Nile, Tiber, and Tigris, and the recumbent female figure then known as "Cleopatra." These were the popular themes used in wall fountains for many years.

Wall Water Fountains of Florentine Sculptors have long since been dismantled, and their marbles deposited in museums. A drawing by Martin van Heemskerck, however, preserves the form of the wall fountain of the Tigris as designed by Michelangelo at the request of Clement VII. The architectural enfacement was apparently quite innocent of ornament that is why attention was focused chiefly upon the wall fountains of the river god and the richly carved sarcophagus because at first glance, one is struck by the apparent formality of the single niche wall fountains reproduced in the sketches.