ain ▁( liter ally ▁f ount ain ▁spring ▁g ushing ) ▁is ▁an ▁em blem atic ▁and ▁famous ▁monument ▁of ▁Set if ▁in ▁Al ger ia . ▁This ▁f ount ain ▁consist ▁of ▁a ▁statue ▁made ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 8 ▁by ▁the ▁French ▁sculpt or ▁Francis ▁de ▁Saint - V idal . ▁ ▁The ▁statue , ▁representing ▁a ▁totally ▁n aked ▁woman , ▁is ▁the ▁subject ▁of ▁several ▁acts ▁of ▁v andal ism . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁It ▁was ▁initially ▁a ▁simple ▁f ount ain ▁built ▁around ▁a ▁spring ▁by ▁the ▁Military ▁engineering ▁after ▁the ▁occupation ▁of ▁S ét if . ▁Its ▁water ▁was ▁warm ▁during ▁winter ▁and ▁fresh ▁in ▁summer . ▁But ▁its ▁progress ive ▁d eter ior ation ▁obliged ▁the ▁municipal ▁council ▁to ▁think ▁about ▁its ▁rest oration . ▁Es pecially ▁M . ▁Bast ide , ▁council or , ▁who ▁addressed ▁the ▁issue ▁of ▁the ▁re par ation ▁of ▁the ▁f ount ain ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 4 . ▁Two ▁years ▁later ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 6 , ▁the ▁mayor ▁of ▁S ét if , ▁M . ▁A ub ry , ▁during ▁a ▁trip ▁in ▁Paris , ▁asked ▁the ▁director ▁of ▁“ Les ▁Be aux - Ar ts ” ▁to ▁don ate ▁a ▁statue ▁that ▁will ▁be ▁used ▁for ▁the ▁decor ation ▁of ▁the ▁f ount ain . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 9 8 , ▁the ▁mayor ▁received ▁a ▁letter ▁inform ing ▁him ▁that ▁the ▁statue ▁made ▁by ▁Francis ▁de ▁Saint - V idal ▁was ▁ready