Ples de Virginie by Alain Manesson Mallet

Code: 52379

Author: Mallet, Alain Manesson

Date published: 1685 circa

Copper engraving ; later hand colouring. Overall size in off white fully conservation grade mount and back with decorative v groove : 27.1cms.x 34.4cms. Image size : 100mm.x 145mm. A native American man and a woman in costume, strewn with ropes of pearls however the ''Ples'' is more likely to be an abbreviation for "peuples"" or (peoples) than ''perles"" (pearls). The Virginia Indian archive states that the feathered crown worn by the man is more Brazilian in appearance. Nonetheless an early depiction of what was thought to be natives of Virginia. Mallet was a well travelled military engineer and geographer who worked in 17th century France under King Louis XIV. This map is from his scarce monumental work ""Description de L'Univers.'' "