Hadrian, his reign and his mausoleum: the glorification of the power of Rome.
[Hadrian and his Mausoleum. Studies, research and interpretations] A unique exhibition held in Rome in 1998: a reflection on the transformation of Castel Sant’Angelo, from the monumental tomb of the emperor Hadrian to the fortified city of the Roman nobles, from the papal residence to a museum. The catalogue, complete with splendid images and absorbing critical essays, illustrates certain aspects of the mausoleum, both in terms of architecture, although many questions regarding the morphology remain to be resolved, and in terms of decoration, with analysis of the remains of the time of Hadrian, restored for the exhibition. The volume also features imaginative reconstructions of the building which, though improbable, shed light on the lively speculation in the past and present regarding the original structure. To complete the study, the myth of Hadrian is investigated, an emperor open to regional specificities and traditions, an extensive traveler and expert on architecture, lover of literature, science, art and philosophy.