Aerial view of the Emperor’s embarkation. The drawing is in landscape format. It is framed in ink. Inscriptions and traces of watercolor are visible in the margins.
The imperial procession leaves the city through one of the fortified gates and heads for the quays, where a superb boat is moored. It’s a bireme. The crew is ready and waiting on deck. The sails are furled. The emperor is about to embark. His retinue follows. A line of honor is formed. Three other boats navigate the waters. One is carrying a cargo of wooden barrels, another is carrying horses. A ship is moored to the quay and workers are unloading its cargo.
This is a scene imagined for a comic strip. The port of departure in the book is Ravenna.