Drawing is on the verso of a fragment of plate 5 (f. 862) from Piranesi's "Diverse maniere d'adornare i cammini," 1769, and is also preparatory for an etching depicting coaches, sedan chairs, tables, and decorative wall panels, plate 62 (f. 922) of the same publication.
In the same mat as 1966.11:96 and 1966.11:97.
In addition to designs for interior decoration, the Diverse maniere includes designs for coaches and sedan chairs. These plates must have been relatively late additions, as the Morgan's preparatory drawings for them are on discarded proofs of the furniture design plates. Whereas Piranesi had adapted his elaborate Venetian gondola design for the coach in his first view of Piazza San Pietro from the 1740s, his later view of the Vatican from circa 1771-73 instead includes a simpler coach akin to those seen here and in two related drawings (inv. 1966.11:96 and 1966.11:97).
Inscribed by the artist at upper center, in red chalk, "farfal[la?]"; numbered at upper right, in graphite, "63".
Morgan, Jane Norton, 1868-1925, former owner.
Morgan, Junius Spencer, 1892-1960, former owner.
Morgan, Henry S. (Henry Sturgis), 1900-1982, former owner.
Denison, Cara, Myra Nan Rosenfeld, and Stephanie Wiles. Exploring Rome : Piranesi and His Contemporaries. New York : Pierpont Morgan Library; Montrǎl : Centre Canadien d'Architecture, 1993, no. 40, repr.