In the Center of Piazza Navona
Since the time of Cassio (1757) who produced a very imaginative translation of a 17th century writer’s work and right up to much more recent times, authors have claimed that, before the Four Rivers Fountain was built, there used to be a beautiful round fountain in the center of Piazza Navona. This simply isn’t true. All that was there was a humble rectangular trough, plain and undecorated. This "tub" had been found in the district and transferred to the square at the time of Gregory XIII (c. 1575), as the eyewitness account of Flaminio Vacca relates: It was brought to Piazza Navona and today serves as a drinking trough for horses, and you can quite clearly see it doing just that in a charming view of Piazza Navona as it was in 1625. Ten years or so after the trough first arrived, to make the centre a better match for the rest of the square (which by then had an ornamental fountain at each end), Jacopo della Porta had the idea of embellishing it with the huge statue of Marforio, but his plan was never implemented. This may have been because of a more impressive idea, mentioned in an Announcement dated 25 March 1589: Word has it that His Lordship [Sixtus V] wants to have two more beautiful spires put up in piazza di Agone, which are [presently] in some subterranean ruins outside of Rome. The intention was probably to put one of these obelisks in the center of each of the two existing fountains. However, the simple trough remained faithfully in its place, continuing to serve thirsty horses, thus the name Four Rivers Fountain. At this point, I again need to remind you that in August 1623 the recently elected Pope Urban VIII appointed Gian Lorenzo Bernini to the office of Commissioner, that is to say, Auditor of the conduits of the fountains in Piazza Navona. The appointment was for life and Gian Lorenzo received it gracefully, with the consequence that this imaginative artist came into direct contact with Master Jacopo’s two fountains and the horse trough which, especially in his eyes, must have appeared insignificant and ugly in the middle of that extraordinary square.
 |
 |
 |