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De Bry - Satouriona prepares - Florida - Original Engraving - 1591 - Le Moyne

De Bry - Satouriona prepares - Florida - Original Engraving - 1591 - Le Moyne

£250.00 GBP
£250.00 GBP
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"Satouriona prepares for battle"

-Theodore De Bry (1528-1598)

-Plate 9.5 x 13 inches (23 x 33cm)

-Image 8.5 x 6 inches (22 x 15cm)

-This image is from the German 2nd Edition of 1603

-Good condition - toning to page consistent with age. Some old repairs to rear

-Verso blank


This is an original plate from Part 2 "Brevis Narratio" of De Bry's famous set of "Grands Voyages". This part gives an account of the early expeditions of the French to Florida under Jean Ribaut (1562), Rene de Laudoniere (1564) and Dominique de Gourgues (1567). The account of the Laudonniere expedition was written by Jacques le Moyne (de Morgues), an artist who accompanied the expedition. He escaped massacre by the Spaniards at Fort Caroline and went to England, with the drawings he had made, where he died. After his death his manuscripts and drawings were sold by his widow to De Bry who published them in this volume. It is one of the earliest descriptions of Florida and the first to be clearly illustrated and to describe the local peoples.

The text read:

"The warriors gathered round their chief in a close circle. To the left of him a fire was burning, to the right were two large containers of water. The chief rolled his eyes and, gesticulating wildly, growled as if consumed with anger. Sometimes he made terrifying screams, which were echoed by his warriors who slapped their thighs so their weapons made a noise. Then he took up a bowl and turned towards the sun, respectfully and humbly asking for victory over his enemy, that their blood should be spilled like the water from the bowl. Then he threw the water in the air so it splashed upon his warriors, declaring: “Do as I have done with the blood of your enemies”. Then, pouring the water from the other container on the fire, he cried “Thus you must exterminate your enemy and bring back their scalps”. When the ceremony was over, they all marched off to war as planned."
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