Listings / Fine Art / Prints / Architecture
The Town of Secota, together with The Town of Pomeioc
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Description
ARTIST: Drawn by John White (fl. 1585-1586) and engraved by Theodor De Bry (1528-1598)
ORIGIN: Published in Frankfurt, Germany
COMMENTARY: These rare, sixteenth-century engravings of Native American villages depict scenes in present day North Carolina, in one of the most important moments in the ethnographic and art history of the New World. In the 1580s, Sir Walter Raleigh made several unsuccessful attempts to establish an English settlement on Roanoke Island, on the Outer Banks of what was at the time Virginia. In 1585, hoping to raise interest among potential settlers in Britain, he enticed the artist and cartographer John White to join an expedition by hiring him to record images of the New World for publication. White would become Governor of the colony in 1587, and when he returned to England thirteen months later, he did so with some seventy watercolors on vellum that depicted the natives, their settlements, their activities, and the natural history of their surroundings.
The Dutch-born artist Theodor de Bry engraved twenty-three of White’s drawings in quarto format between 1588 and 1591. Though taking certain liberties with White’s originals (he sometimes added human figures from imagination), he nonetheless played a central role in introducing the mysterious continent to a wide European audience. In 1590, he added to the volume a description of the 1585 voyage written by the English explorer Thomas Hariot, and entitling the new edition "A briefe and true report of the new found land of Virginia" (England: Francoforti ad Moenum: Typis Ioannis Wecheli, svmtibvs vero Theodori de Bry, 1590)—and produced it in Latin, German, French, and English language editions (the present engravings appear to hail from the German publication). The 1590 volumes proved so popular that every year afterward—from 1591 until de Bry’s death in 1598—he followed up with a new book depicting another aspect of life in the New World, though none others that depicted present day Virginia or North Carolina.
The images here offered represent two of the most desirable images from among all of de Bry’s works, and are rarely available in the market as individual plates, much less, as a pair.
The text accompanying The Town of Secota reads as follows:
“Their towns that are not enclosed with poles are commonly fairer than such as are enclosed, as appears in this figure which lively expresses the town of Secotam. For the houses are Scattered here and there, and they have garden expressed by the letter E. wherein grows Tobacco which the inhabitants call Uppowoc. They have also groves wherein they take deer, and fields wherein they sow their corn. In their cornfields they build as it were a scaffold where on they set a cottage like to a round chair, signified by F. wherein they place one to watch, for there are such number of fowl, and beasts, that unless they keep the better watch, they would soon devour all their corn. For which cause the watchman makes continual cries and noise. They sow their corn with a certain distance noted by H. otherwise one stalk would choke the growth of another and the corn would not come unto his ripeness G. For the leaves thereof are large, like unto the leaves of great reeds. They have also a several broad plot C. where they meet with their neighbors, to celebrate their chief solemn feasts as the 18 picture does declare: and a place D. where after they have ended their feast they make merry together. Over against this place they have a round plot B. where they assemble themselves to make their solemn prayers. Not far from which place there is a large building A. wherein are the tombs of their kings and princes, as will appear by the 22 figure likewise they have garden noted by the letter I. wherein they use to sow pumpkins. Also a place marked with K. wherein they make a fire at their solemn feasts, and hard without the town a river L. from whence they fetch their water. This people therefore void of all covetousness live cheerfully and at their heart’s ease. But they solemnize their feasts in the night, and therefore they keep very great fires to avoid darkness, and to testify their Joy.”
The print is accompanied by an English translation of the original German inscription describing the scene. Illustrated documentation report available upon request. -
More Information
Origin: Germany Period: Pre 18th Century Materials: Copper-plate engraving on laid paper, in a reproduction frame of imitation tortoiseshell. Condition: Excellent. The prints survive in fine condition with some minor tears and losses. Detailed condition reports are available upon request. Creation Date: 1594 Styles / Movements: Black & White Dealer Reference #: PD2014011 Incollect Reference #: 124651 -
Dimensions
W. 9.4375 in; H. 13.1875 in; W. 23.97 cm; H. 33.5 cm;
Message from Seller:
Sumpter Priddy III, Inc. maintains superb relationships with an active group of collectors, as well as private and public institutions. Among its clients are the Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts; the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation; the White House; the Maryland Historical Society; the Philadelphia Museum of Art; and Historic Deerfield, Inc.
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