Antique Print of Vishnu incarnated as the Gautama Buddha by Baldaeus (1744)

Description: Antique print, titled: 'The Idol Bodhe.' - This plate shows Vishnu incarnated as the Gautama Buddha. Published in Churchill's 'A Collection of Voyages and Travels, some now first printed from original manuscripts others now first printed in English', printed in 1744 for Henry Lintot. First published 1672 in Philip Baldaeus' 'Nauwkeurige beschrijving Malabar en Choromandel, derz. aangrenzend rijken, en het machtige eiland Ceylon.' (transl: Description of the East Indian Countries of Malabar, Coromandel, Ceylon, etc.), printed in Amsterdam by Jacob van Velsen and published by Johannes Janssonius van Waesbergen en Johannes van Someren.

From: Churchill's 'A Collection of Voyages and Travels, some now first printed from original manuscripts others now first printed in English', printed in 1744 for Henry Lintot and John Osborn.

Artists and Engravers: Made by 'Philip Baldaeus' after an anonymous artist. Father Philippus Baldaeus, Baelde or Philip Balde (October 1632, Delft - 1672, Geervliet) was a Dutch minister. He went to Jaffna, Ceylon with an invading Dutch force during 17th Century. As the first European he documented the life, language and culture of Tamil people, living in the north of the island. It is a great historical record, similar to Mahawamsa, and it was immediately published in Dutch and German (with many beautiful plates).