Astronomy · 18th century
€ 475
One of a kind: this is the sheet in the photographs. Ships from Langweer, the Netherlands.
Good condition considering its age. Original hand colouring. General age-related toning, occasional light foxing and minor handling wear. Please study the image carefully.
An original antique hand-coloured copperplate engraving depicting two scenes from the great Inca Festival of the Sun, one of the most important religious ceremonies of the Inca Empire. The print was published in Paris around 1777 in the celebrated travel collection *Histoire Générale des Voyages* by Abbé Prévost.
The upper scene illustrates the ceremonial preparation of the sacred fire on the eve of the great Festival of the Sun (Fête du Soleil), known as Raymi (today generally referred to as Inti Raymi). Priests and nobles gather around a ceremonial altar while attendants prepare for the festivities, illustrating one of the most important annual celebrations in the Inca religious calendar.
The lower scene depicts the first day of the Festival of the Sun, during which the Inca ruler receives a ceremonial vessel filled with sacred drink presented by the high priest. Musicians, nobles, priests and participants gather in celebration while offerings are prepared, providing a vivid representation of Inca ritual and public ceremony.
The compositions were drawn by Bernard Picart (1673–1733), one of the foremost illustrators of the eighteenth century, whose engravings are celebrated for their exceptional historical detail and artistic refinement. They were published in Abbé Prévost's monumental *Histoire Générale des Voyages*, one of the greatest illustrated travel works of the Enlightenment and an indispensable source on the peoples, customs and history of the world.
The delicate original hand colouring enhances the architectural details, costumes and ceremonial atmosphere, making this an exceptionally decorative and historically significant engraving relating to the Inca civilisation.
This is an original antique engraving printed in the eighteenth century. It is not a modern reproduction.
Maker: Bernard Picart
Publication: Histoire Générale des Voyages
Author: Abbé Prévost
Place of publication: Paris
Date: circa 1777
Technique: Copperplate engraving with original hand colouring
Origin: France
Condition:
Good condition considering its age. Original hand colouring. General age-related toning, occasional light foxing and minor handling wear. Please study the image carefully.
The framed and interior visuals are provided for imagination and presentation purposes only. The original antique print is sold unframed.
Keywords
Peru, Inca, Inti Raymi, Raymi, Festival of the Sun, Inca ceremony, Inca religion, Inca Empire, Bernard Picart, Abbé Prévost, Histoire Générale des Voyages, Peruvians, ceremonial festival, Indigenous America, South America, ethnographic print, original antique print, hand-coloured engraving, eighteenth century, Paris, copperplate engraving, colonial travel book, historical print, decorative engraving, Enlightenment, antique print.
