18th Century South America
[Paris, France], ca. 1716
Rare 18th C. French Engraving Showing Chilean Hockey Player & Other Exotic Customs
Engraving

A rare French-language engraving, Planche IX [Plate IX], from Am?d?e-Fran?ois Fr?zier's early eighteenth-century South American travel account, "Relation du voyage de la mer du Sud, aux c?tes du Chili, et du P?rou et de Br?sil, fait pendant les ann?es 1712, 1713, et 1714" ["Account of the trip to the southern seas, on the coasts of Chile, and of Peru and of Brazil, made during the years 1712, 1713, and 1714"], originally published in Paris, France by J-G. Nyon, E. Ganeau, and J. Quillau in 1716. "Planche IX, pag. 59" appears at upper right, and it is signed in stone as "N. Guerard fecit" at lower right. On laid paper. Expected wear including even toning and minor scattered wrinkles. Isolated chipped edges and edge darkening. Possibly trimmed. Else very good to near fine, boldly printed and graphically represented. Overall size 7.125" x 9.25."

Plate IX depicts eight figures located in the foreground, middle ground, and background: A, an indigenous man wielding an instrument resembling a field hockey stick ["indien du Chili en Macun jouant a la Sueca, jeu de croce"]; B, an indigenous woman from Choni ["indienne en Choni"]; C, an indigenous festival ["Cahouin touhan ou f?te des indiens"]; D, Spanish guards stationed to prevent disorder ["Gardes Espagnoles pour empecher le desordre"]; E, a cup-shaped whistle ["Pivellca ou Sifflet"]; F, a specialized drinking vessel ["Paquecha ou tasse a bec"]; G, a type of drum ["Coulthun ou tambour"]; and H, a wind instrument similar to a trumpet ["Thouthouca ou trompette"].

The engraving came from an informative travelogue authored by Am?d?e-Fran?ois Fr?zier (1682-1773), an intrepid French explorer tasked with gathering military intelligence about Spanish and indigenous settlements in Chile and Peru during the early 1710s. Fr?zier and Nicolas Gu?rard (1648?--1719) completed the illustrations later engraved by G?rard Jean-Baptiste Scotin (1671-1716) and one Fonbonne. The illustrations in Fr?zier's account depicted detailed views of coastlines, city plans, ports, and fortifications. In addition to Plate IX - this particular depiction of indigenous sports, festivals, and musical instruments - Fr?zier's readers could see depictions of Incan royalty, llamas, canoes, bull-roping, and other charming vignettes of local customs and lifeways.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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7.125" x 9.25"