| Method | Copper engraving |
| Artist | Jakob van der Schley |
| Published | [A la Haye, Chez Pierre de Hondt, MDCCXLIX. Avec Privilege de Sa Majeste Imperiale, & de Nos Seigneurs les Etats de Hollande & de West-Frise. 1749] |
| Dimensions | Image 191 x 136 mm, Plate 212 x 180 mm, Sheet 272 x 216 mm |
| Notes |
An illustration of Chinese ships from the Dutch edition of the Description de la Chine, part of Prévost's monumental 'l'Histoire Géneral des Voyages.' The plate depicts two views of ships laying at anchor. The view at top depicts various types of Chinese barque, including a small vessel at centre that is topped with a high canopy with a shrine on its roof and a pair of large flags. At bottom is a detailed depiction of a Chinese dragon-boat, heavily ornamented with flags, banners, statuary, and wood-carving. A figure sits atop the dragon figure-head of the ship, while another falls (or is dragged) from its tail. An acrobat performs a hand-stand on one of the ship's masts, while a crowd of well dressed courtiers sits beneath a canopy erected on the ship's deck. At the front of this crowd, a man armed with a spear wears a hat decorated with ridiculously long feathers. The plate attributes the view to Johan Nieuhof. The Histoire Géneral des Voyages was a monumental eighteenth century general history divided according to geographic region. The original volumes were written by Antoine François Prévost d'Exiles, a French author, novelist, theologian, natural historian, and a priest of the Jesuit and Benedictine orders, but continued by numerous other authors after Prévost's death. The earliest books mostly deal with the Far East and South-East Asia, providing a general history of their regions, kingdoms, customs, culture, costumes, natural phenomena and religious beliefs. Much of Prévost's information is derived from the reports of Jesuit missionaries, Portuguese merchants, and famous explorers, from Marco Polo to Sir Francis Drake. Although written in French, the popularity of the Histoire among Dutch audiences meant that many of the illustrative plates and maps published to accompany the work were either re-engraved or subtitled in Dutch by the engraver Jakob van der Schley. Prévost himself had travelled widely throughout the Netherlands, launching his literary career in Amsterdam and the Hague after fleeing the Benedictines in France. Prevost's work on China, and indeed many of van der Schley's plates, owe a great debt to Johan Nieuhoff (1618-1672) , a Dutch traveller who explored much of China, India, and Brazil while in the employ of the Dutch East India Company. Nieuhoff wrote extensively, with a particular focus on China, for his memoirs, and his numerous drawings of Chinese places and people were much copied by later engravers for numerous works of Chinese interest. Nieuhoff's own book became a major source of inspiration for eighteenth century chinoiserie, and are amongst the first western illustrations to depict the Chinese people in a manner which was based upon personal observation rather than the tradition of oriental fantasy. Jakob van der Schley (26th July 1715 - 12th February 1779), also known as Jan von Schley or Jacobus van Schley, was a Dutch engraver and draughtsman. An apprentice of the French engraver Bernard Picart, he is best known for his engravings of the majority of plates in the Dutch edition of 'l'Histoire Géneral des Voyages.' Despite producing mainly maps and views for this work, van der Schley was predominantly a portrait artist and literary illustrator. Condition: Sheet trimmed within plate on left margin as issued. Binders crease and holes to right margin. Clean, crisp impression with 'l'Angoumois' watermark. |
| Framing | unmounted |
| Price | £50.00 |
| Stock ID | 40800 |