Ethnography · 18th century
€ 210
One of a kind: this is the sheet in the photographs. Ships from Langweer, the Netherlands.
Very good for age. Light toning and small spots in the margins, minor edge wear, faint handling marks. Colors remain clear and the plate impression is strong. Wide margins intact.
Admiraliteit-Eilanders – Antique Hand-Colored Engraving of Admiralty Islands, Papua New Guinea (c.1800)
A dynamic early 19th-century hand-colored ethnographic engraving titled “Admiraliteit-Eilanders,” depicting two Indigenous figures from the Admiralty Islands (present-day Manus Province, Papua New Guinea). The man stands in a canoe, dressed in fiber garments with bold ceremonial body paint and ornaments including a large ear ornament and arm bands. A woman sits beside him, gazing outward as the canoe moves through the water. Palms and shoreline villages appear faintly in the distance, suggesting coastal life in the Bismarck Archipelago.
This image forms part of the significant European record of Melanesian cultures produced during the age of exploration. The detailed rendering of canoes, tattoos, and personal adornment provides valuable insight into traditional maritime and cultural practices. Issued by the Dutch publisher J. Allart, after drawings by S. Kuyper and engraved by J. Portman, around 1800.
Collected today for its strong ethnographic value, vivid hand-coloring, and role in preserving early visual history of Pacific Island communities.
Condition:
Very good for age. Light toning and small spots in the margins, minor edge wear, faint handling marks. Colors remain clear and the plate impression is strong. Wide margins intact.
Framing Tips:
A natural or dark wood frame enhances the warm palette and cultural subject. Use a lightly toned mat to retain focus on the figures and sea. UV-protective glazing recommended.
Technique: Hand-colored engraving
Maker: J. Allart (publisher), after S. Kuyper, engraved by J. Portman
Date: c.1800
Keywords: Admiralty Islands art, Papua New Guinea ethnography, Melanesian culture, Pacific exploration print, canoe navigation art, Cook era interest, Oceania anthropology, museum quality print, hand-colored engraving, J. Allart publisher, S. Kuyper artist, J. Portman engraver
