In this painting, an androgynous humanoid figure stares penetratingly out at the viewer. The figure emerges from the ground, perched at the top of a cliff and combines with the watery landscape to become part of the river flowing, as well as a literal 'fountain' as the title suggests. Behind the mysterious torso is a three-pronged, organic-looking outgrowth. This seems to form the essential part of the natural waterfall, but also serves to remind the viewer of Bridgwater's long-standing interest in wings.

Whilst previously depicting lots of birds in her work, this image combines instead the human and the insect. In doing so an interesting parallel is established between this painting and that of The Decoy (1948) by Bridgwater's friend and colleague, Edith Rimmington. In The Decoy, Rimmington depicts a hand with skin peeling away and lots of butterflies at various states of metamorphosis. Bridgwater shares Rimmington's ongoing fascination for such natural processes which were, indeed popular with many Surrealists, with some having read the research of the French intellectual Roger Caillois on the subject of mimicry. Overall, The Fountain conveys a sense of loneliness and longing, as well as an understanding that no human power can stop rivers flowing or fissures forming in the earth. The human presence is little more than one part of many which combine to form the natural cycle of life, death, and regeneration.