Travel & Transport · 19th century
€ 130
One of a kind: this is the sheet in the photographs. Ships from Langweer, the Netherlands.
good, given age. Some soiling and little staining. General age-related toning and/or occasional minor defects from handling. Please study scan carefully.
The two prints are lithographs from the book *Exploration of the Valley of the Amazon*, made by the U.S. Navy Department in 1854. This book chronicles an expedition undertaken to explore the Amazon River and its tributaries, a journey that was significant for its contributions to the geographic and ethnographic knowledge of the Amazon Basin at the time.
1.
- The first print depicts an indigenous man from the Zaparo tribe, standing in a forested area. He is dressed in traditional attire, including a feathered headpiece, and holds a spear. The background is densely wooded, suggesting a lush, tropical environment.
- The second print also shows a Zaparo man, this time standing on a sandy shore near a body of water, holding a fish. The landscape is more open with mountains in the distance and a canoe by the water’s edge.
2. The lithographs were drawn by Pr. Vernaui (possibly an expedition artist or someone who created illustrations based on descriptions or earlier sketches). The prints were lithographed by Wagner & McGuigan, a notable lithography firm based in Philadelphia, known for their work in the mid-19th century.
3. The book, commissioned by the U.S. Navy Department, reflects the U.S. government’s interest in scientific exploration during this period. It likely included observations on the geography, flora, fauna, and indigenous peoples encountered during the expedition.
These lithographs are representative of 19th-century ethnographic artwork, intended to document and communicate the findings of exploratory missions to audiences back home. They combine detailed observation with the artistic conventions of the time, and they serve both as cultural records and as works of art.
