"Fluvius Grandis", Aa, Pieter van der

Montanus' work was perhaps the greatest illustrated book on the New World produced in the seventeenth century. It contained over one hundred beautifully engraved plates, views, and maps of North and South America. The plates vividly depict forts, festivals, occupations, Dutch fleets, battles, religious rites, and customs of the native inhabitants. This important work was translated into German by Olivier Dapper, and into English by John Ogilby. Several of the plates were later acquired by Pierre Vander Aa.

This finely engraved view depicts the heavily armed Fort of the tres Reis Magos along the Potengi River in today's Natal. In the foreground, Dutch soldiers oversee natives unloading goods from small row boats. This detailed engraving originally appeared in Arnoldus Montanus’ De Nieuwe en onbekende Weereld: of Beschryving van America in 1671. Pieter van der Aa acquired the plate and republished it in his monumental Galerie, which was issued in an edition of only 100 copies. This edition can be identified by the thick, wide margined paper on which it is printed.

References: Shirley (BL Atlases) T.AA-5a.

Condition: B+

A few minor spots and faint toning along centerfold. There are a few paper repairs along centerfold in wide, blank margins, far from image.