I have had this idea for a fan art/book cover for one my favorite books for years- Machiavelli’s The Prince. And during Fall 2020 I took the leap to educate myself on the times of late 15th century Italy and figured this would be a fairly straightforward and simple project, boy was I wrong. This monster took the better part of four months to actually create, and pushed me creatively and artistically. So I bring you my latest oversized book cover project featuring Nicolo Machiavelli, the diplomat and writer as he oversees the conflict between Caterina Sforza, Cesare Borgia, King Louis XII of France and Pope Alexander the VI as they all connected with the Siege of Forli at the Rocca of Ravaldino in December 1499 and some of the aftermath with the alleged attempted poisoning of the Pope by Caterina while in Castel Sant’Angelo prison. Other religious, military and financial imagery was my attempt to visually show the words of The Prince with power in the church, weapons and economy.