A drawing, apparently done on the spot, of the outer quay of the Darsena Vecchia (Old Dock), the innermost basin of the port of Livorno (Leghorn). The arched gate visible on the right is the one that allowed the connection between the inner quay (facing the Darsena Vecchia and the city of Livorno) and the outer quay (facing the Porto Mediceo, built under Cosimo II), which were divided by a fortified wall. In the drawing the gate appears to be further protected by a barbican or a fence.

The large rampart visible in the background of the drawing is the Bastione della Canaviglia of the Fortezza Vecchia (Old Fortress) of Livorno, the first bastion fort built by the Medici in Livorno between 1519 and 1534, to a design by Antonio da Sangallo the Elder. Between the Fortezza Vecchia and the fortified quay was a small opening, known as the Bocca della Darsena, barely visible in the drawing.

The cantilevered structure on the Bastione della Canavaglia, adorned in the corner with a Medici coat of arms, was added after the mid-16th century when residential buildings were built in the fortress to accommodate the Grand Ducal court during its frequent stays in Livorno. The circular crenellated tower visible in the background is the only medieval structure depicted in the drawing; it is the Mastio di Matilde, the most important defensive structure of a late 14th century fortress known as the Quadratura dei Pisani, which the Fortezza Vecchia replaced.

Information kindly supplied by Giovanni Santucci, 2023.