Title
[Four studies of vessels].
Creator
Fontana, Carlo, 1634-1714, artist.
Publication details
[approximately 1694]
Physical details
1 drawing : ink and wash ; sheet 26.2 x 17.6 cm
Description
A simple boat with a canopy above, a diagram of a frontal view of a galley tilted to right below, a wooden rowboat, and a frontal section of a large ship with details of oarsmen at bottom. Annotated in brown ink lower right: 'nautica Cf'.
Place
Civitavecchia (Italy)
Additional information
Bound in one of the three volumes of drawings by Carlo Fontana formerly in the collection of Cardinal Albani, acquired by James Adam for George III in 1762 and later transferred to his Geographical Collections. The drawings are preceded by a blank page annotated: 'Drawn Sketches of Civita Vecchia, its ancient Buildings & Neighbouring Country by Fontana 1694'. According to Allan Braham and Hellmut Hager, 'the drawings were probably intended for publication as illustrations in a book which Fontana contemplated writing on the subject of primitive boats ('La Nautica'). This book was never printed, but Fontana appended an analysis of such boats to the short unillustrated book he published in 1710 on Porto d'Anzio, Antio e sue Antichita_'. Related drawings are kept at Windsor and listed in the inventory of Cardinal Pamphili (see Braham, A., and Hager, H., Carlo Fontana: The Drawings at Windsor Castle, London, 1977, p. 132).
Shelfmark
118.e.14.