The Fountain of Moses

By Jastrow - Own work, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1290908

The Fountain of Moses is one of the more obscure contributions by Sixtus V. The fountain is actually the end of the aqueduct that Sixtus V rebuilt in 1586, this aqueduct being called the Acqua Felice after Sixtus V's birth name. Here Roman locals could draw water to drink or do laundry or whatever else they needed it for. The most obvious features are the statue of Moses and the large attic (more on that later). All the imagery is also completely biblical, and displayed none of the borrowed pagan figure and imagery that was becoming popular in religious art.

I'm attracted to this site for two reasons. One, its combines beauty and practicality, like many sites on this blog. Two, people didn't like it. They thought it was mediocre, owing primarily to its over-sized attic that holds an overly large inscription. It's helpful to remind ourselves that not every project in Rome was successful, or even particularly noteworthy in its art or design.