Della Trasportatione dell'Obelisco Vaticano et delle Fabrishe di Nostro Signore Papa Sisto v Fatte dal Cavallier Domenico Fontana Architetto di Sua Santita. Libro Primo Possibly 1590

This is the title page of Domenico Fontana’s book, printed in Rome in 1590, detailing the transportation of the Vatican Obelisk and the buildings of Pope Sixtus V. Fontana, as the architect of the Pope, was at the heart of a dramatic reshaping of Rome. This book isn't just an architectural record; it's a statement about power, faith, and engineering prowess in the late 16th century. Rome then was a stage for demonstrating the Catholic Church's resurgence after the Reformation. Sixtus V, driven by a vision to reassert papal authority, initiated a series of ambitious urban projects. Consider the logistics of moving an ancient obelisk, a symbol of ancient Egyptian power, and placing it in the heart of the Vatican. What does it mean to claim and repurpose a symbol from a different time and culture? And how does this act reflect on the laborers, engineers, and artists involved in this grand endeavor? This book immortalizes Fontana's role, but also hints at the collective effort behind such a transformation. In it, we see how the personal ambition of the Pope intertwines with the grand narrative of religious and cultural dominance.