Ladies Driving Carriage ("Duc") of the Empress Zita

To drive a carriage oneself was a sporting pleasure which was also greatly popular with ladies. The accompanying footman sat on the footman's seat at the back. The hood was intended as protection against sudden rainfall and normally remained open. The carriage was built for Empress Zita and was probably only used by her a few times in the imperal palace park of Laxenburg near Vienna. (MKR)