About this sheet
Antique America Engraving Chile Natives & Guatemala Serpents Drake 1771
This striking eighteenth-century copperplate engraving presents two fascinating scenes from the Americas as imagined and described in early European travel literature. The print was engraved for Edward Cavendish Drake’s influential travel compilation, A New Universal Collection of Authentic and Entertaining Voyages and Travels, published in London around 1771. Works such as Drake’s sought to bring together accounts of exploration and discovery from across the globe, combining geography, natural history, and ethnographic observations into richly illustrated volumes for European readers fascinated by the distant lands of the New World.
The engraving is divided into two separate scenes, each framed within its own decorative border and accompanied by an explanatory caption.
The upper scene is titled “Habits of the People of Chili in America.” It depicts a small group of inhabitants of Chile represented in traditional dress as interpreted by eighteenth-century European artists. A central male figure carries a large agricultural implement or tool over his shoulder while speaking with a woman dressed in flowing garments. Nearby figures hold baskets, pottery vessels, and domestic objects, suggesting everyday life and rural activity. Such images were intended to illustrate the clothing, customs, and lifestyle of Indigenous peoples for European audiences who had little direct knowledge of these distant cultures.
The lower scene, titled “Remarkable Serpents and Baboons of Gautimala in America,” reflects the fascination with exotic animals and natural wonders reported by early explorers. The animals depicted include large serpents and primate-like creatures, referred to in the original caption as “baboons.” In reality these figures likely represent monkeys native to Central America, though European engravers often relied on second-hand descriptions rather than direct observation. As a result, the creatures appear somewhat fantastical, with expressive human-like faces and exaggerated features. One serpent even bears a dramatic dragon-like head, emphasizing the sense of marvel and mystery associated with the natural world of the Americas.
Many illustrations in Drake’s work were inspired by earlier seventeenth-century sources, including the engravings of the Dutch scholar Arnoldus Montanus in his famous book De Nieuwe en Onbekende Weereld (1671). These images circulated widely in Europe and helped shape European perceptions of the New World during the early modern period.
The engraving demonstrates the refined craftsmanship of eighteenth-century British printmaking, with careful cross-hatching, balanced composition, and crisp engraved lines. As both a historical document and a decorative print, it offers insight into how Europeans visualized the cultures and wildlife of the Americas during the age of exploration.
Condition: Good antique condition with age-appropriate toning and light foxing. Minor handling marks and faint creases consistent with an eighteenth-century book plate. Plate mark visible.
Framing tip: This engraving displays beautifully with a generous ivory mat and a dark walnut or black frame, allowing the two scenes to read clearly as a paired composition while highlighting the fine engraved detail.
Technique: Copperplate engraving
Maker: Engraved for Edward Cavendish Drake, London, circa 1771
Keywords: Chile, Chili, Guatemala, Gautimala, South America, Central America, New World, Drake voyages, Edward Cavendish Drake, Sir Francis Drake, Americas exploration, indigenous Chile, South American natives, Guatemala monkeys, Guatemala serpents, exotic animals engraving, early travel illustration, Montanus influence, De Nieuwe en Onbekende Weereld, 18th century engraving, antique America print, colonial travel book illustration
