1665 1ed Nieuhof History of CHINA Dutch East India Trade Illustrated FOLIO MapUTTERLY EXQUISITE & FINEST EXAMPLE KNOWN

While there were very few 17th-century works written on China, most of those that exist are written by Jesuits. This extremely desirable first edition history of China and the East India Company is by Johan Nieuhof, a Dutch voyager, famous for this work. Nieuhof describes the first trade mission undertaken by the V.O.C. (Dutch East-Indian Trade Company) to the Chinese emperor.

Prior to mid-1600s, the image of China and Chinese culture was predominantly dominated by fantasy illustrations, which had been the case for centuries. This book brought China ‘to life’ to Europeans, who were finally given a much more accurate depiction of life if the far East. Thus, “Het Gezantschap” was the first work on China that gave a representation not based on fantasy but rather the immediate and first-hand observations of the author! The popularity of this book led Athanasius Kircher to create his own book, “China Illustrata”, which premiered just two years later.

Nieuhof included nearly 150 prints, many of which helped establish a change in European art. Architects and artists based their artwork on Nieuhof’s Chinese designs. The images depicted in the engravings were true in nature, and, again, not based on fantasy or imaginative designs. After this book’s success, it was determined that the Jesuit reports of Chinese culture were now not the only reliable source of China.

The book is divided into two distinct parts. The first, covers the East Indies and Southeast Asia, including China, Japan, Korea, and Formosa. The second part gives a more general description of China including:

Description of Chinese travel – bridges, roads, highways

Mining of stones and metals

Botany – seeds, flowers, herbs, fruits and trees

Chinese emperors before and after Christ’s birth

Chinese wars – Tartary

Physical land descriptions – lakes, rivers, mountains, pools

Strange, bizarre Chinese customs – language, comedians, magicians, jugglers, funeral burials, clothing fashions

Much more!

Item number: #783

Price: $10,000

NIEUHOF, Johan

Het gezantschap der Neêrlandtsche Oost-indische Compagnie, aan den grootem tartarischen Cham, den tegenwoordingen Keizer van China : waar in de gedenkwaerdighste geschiedenissen, die onder het reizen door de sineesche landtschappen, Quantung, Kiangsi, Nanking, Xantung en Peking, en aan het keizerlijke hof te Peking, sedert den jare 1655 tot 1657 zijn voorgevallen, op het bondigste verhandelt worden ; beneffens een naukeurige beschryving der sineesche steden, dorpen, regeering, wetenschappen …

Amsterdam : Jacob Van Meurs, 1665. First edition.

Details:

Collation complete with all pages: 208; 258, [5].

34 double-page illustrations

110 in-text engravings

1 large folding map of China

Binding: Leather, decorative gold embossing; tight & secure

References: Cordier, Sinica p.2344;

Language: Dutch

Size: ~14.75in X 9.75in (37.5cm x 24.5cm)

Our Guarantee:

Very Fast. Very Safe. Free Shipping Worldwide.Customer satisfaction is our priority! Notify us with 7 days of receiving, and we will offer a full refund without reservation!

Excellent