Reizen over Moskovie, door Persie en Indie: verrykt met driehondert kunstplaten [...].

Folio: [8]-472-[12] pp.; front., portrait, 125 pl. (pl. 237-243 bound after 244-246, plan of Isfahan sl. toned and repaired, sm. wormhole in lower margin, some margins repaired, a few corners dampstained).

Contemp. calf, gilt-decorated spine with bands (weak joints, sm. repairs, sl. used).

Second Amsterdam edition (1st 1711) of this major work of travel by the Dutch artist C. de Bruyn (1652-1726). De Bruyn's narrative of his trans-Asia expedition undertaken between 1701 and 1707 was largely valued for the superb engravings executed from his drawings. The "Driehondert kunstplaten" include: engr. allegorical title after B. Picart, engr. portrait by G. Valck after G. Kneller, 2 engr. maps: 1. "Nette koerswysing van Amsterdam naer Moskow en Astrakan [...]." - 2. "De nette koers wysing van de reis van Gamron na Batavia en wederom van Batavia na Gamron.", 260 numb. engr. ill. (fold., double-page and full-page on 125 pl.) and 36 engr. in-text. Among the illustrations are some impressively long fold-out panoramas of Moscow (188 x 33 cm), Isfahan (id.), and Persepolis (on four folding sheets). These drawings of Persepolis, famous for its 40 columns, caused a sensation and were the best prints available to western scholars for almost a century. The work contains also many observations on the cities, customs, flora, fauna and antiquities that he encountered. It was important for the iconography of Russian cities such as Arkhangelsk, Voronezh, Samara and Saratov, etc. Title in red & black. Printed in 2 col.
Ref. STCN. - Cp. Lipperheide 546 (ed. 1711).
Prov. Libr. label.