De Bry - Virginia - An old man in his winter clothing

De Bry - Virginia - An old man in his winter clothing
This significant, historic engraving is from Theodor de Bry & Thomas Hariot's Admiranda narratio fida tamen, de commodis et incolarum ritibus Virginiae, ... Anglico scripta sermone a Thoma Hariot or Hariot's Virginia. It is the first part or volume of Grands Voyages which is considered one of the most remarkable collections of voyages published in the Age of Discovery. The work was published in Frankfurt by Johann Wechel for Theodor de Bry. The work began publishing in 1590 with this volume printed circa 1608.

This is from one of the most important volumes published on early North America. It is a first eyewitness pictorial record of the American southeast. It was also the first illustrated account dedicated to any portion of what is now the United States.

The engraving here is from the first part of Theodor de Bry's Grands Voyages and from "the rarest volume of that series." (Sabin 30377) Hariot wrote the text and first described Virginia and North Carolina. He was part of the Roanoke expedition along with the artist, John White, and wrote from direct observation. White's illustrations are now celebrated early American images. He served as Lieutenant-Governor of the colony.

Theodor de Bry (1528-1598) was a prominent Flemish engraver and publisher. He came from a family of jewelers and engravers, and faced persecution for his Lutheran faith during the Spanish Inquisition. De Bry would be most known for his engravings of the New World from Grands Voyages, a work which would reach 30 volumes in scope. He was inspired to create this work after meeting Richard Hakluyt in 1587, who had published his own collection of voyages.

De Bry's landmark work depicted the early voyages and settlements in the Americas. His work greatly influenced the European view of the Americas for a long period of time. De Bry's prints provide an important contemporary view of European conquest and settlement in early America. The images depict native customs, culture and warfare, and episodes in the history of European contact with these natives and their world. As Michael Alexander said, De Bry's work "brought to the European public the first realistic visualization of the exotic world opened up across the Atlantic by the explorers, conquerors and settlers." (Discovering the New World, p. 7)


Paper Size: ~ 9 1/2" by 13 7/8"
~ 9 1/2" by 13 7/8"