Plan, Elevation, and Perspective of the Castello Used in the Transportation of the Vatican Obelisk; and Views of the Original and Final Location of the Obelisk

People:

Giovanni Guerra (draughtsman)
Natale Bonifacio (engraver (printmaker))
Domenico Fontana (architect)

Title:

Plan, Elevation, and Perspective of the Castello Used in the Transportation of the Vatican Obelisk; and Views of the Original and Final Location of the Obelisk

Date:

March 1586

Description:

- During the moving of the obelisk, Fontana issued two prints, DR1987:0026 & DR1987:0027. The first (this print), was published in March 1586 just prior to the lowering, and distributed with a companion tract by Filippo Pigafetta. It shows both the original and final positions of the obelisk as well as the device proposed by Fontana for its transportation. This involved the use of a twin timber tower (the castello, as it was called, is seen in the central portion of the print) that was erected on either side of the obelisk and was used for lowering and raising the monolith. The second print (DR1987:0027) appeared in August, during the raising, and showed the lowering of the obelisk, as it had occured in late April, with a detailed inventory of all the men and horses involved in the operation. The transportation was begun on 30 April and was completed on 10 September, according to Fontana's description of the process in his book, 'Della trasportione dell'obelisco vaticano' of 1590, a work illustrated by Bonifazio and Guerra, the two artists responsible for the execution of these prints.

Form:
works of art

Quantity / Object type:
1 print(s)

Stage and Purpose:

record drawing
veduta

Technique and media:

Engraving on laid paper gravure sur papier vergé

Dimensions:

sheet: 20 11/16 × 47 1/4 in. (52,55 × 120,02 cm) secondary support: 25 7/8 × 50 3/4 in.

Reference number:

DR1987:0026

Method of Projection:

perspective drawing
plan (drawing)
elevation (drawing)

Inscription:

imprinted - by the engraver, in the plate on the image, l.l.: "IO. GVERRA M. LIN. NB. F."; l.l.: "Apud Bartholomeum Gra(ss)ium."; l.l.: "CVM PRIVILEGO"; c.: "NATALIS BONIFATIVS SEBENICENSIS IN AERE INCIDEBAT"; l.r.: "DOMENICO FONTANA DA / MILI DIOCESI DI COMO / INVENTORE ET CONDVTTORE"; u.r.: "MDLXXXVI / Romae"; and u.r.: "A'Lettori / Spero benigni(ss). lettori, con la gra. di Dio, donarui un uolume, / doue diffusam. te si dicherarano tutte l'operationi, con le Ma- / chine, et instrumenti à parte, à parte in disegno, & tutte le circon- / stantie loro à giouamente, esodifattione universale, dopo, che / l'opera sara peruenuta al desiato porto." and with other lengthy inscriptions throughout.

Subject:

architecture
engineering

Credit line:
Collection Centre Canadien d'Architecture/
Canadian Centre for Architecture, Montréal

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