Gumilla - Histoire Naturelle, Civile et Géographique de l’Orénoque - 1758

THE UNVEILED ORINOCO: NATURE, PEOPLES AND MISSIONS IN THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY A journey along the great South American river, through forests, villages and Jesuit missions. Joseph Gumilla describes the geography of the Orinoco and its major tributaries. He tells of the customs and practices of the indigenous populations, along with plants, animals and natural remedies. The folded map and the engraved plates accompany the account of this region still little known in Europe. An important eighteenth-century testimony of natural, geographic and missionary history. ABSTRACT First French translation of Joseph Gumilla’s work on the Orinoco basin and the territories traversed by his missions. In three volumes, it deals with geography, governance and customs of the indigenous peoples, animals, trees, fruits, resins and medicinal plants; it also includes tales of missionary conversions. A folded map and engraved plates enrich the text. WHY TO BUY A travel and natural history work of notable interest for European knowledge of South America in the eighteenth century. The account combines geographic and naturalistic observations with descriptions of the populations and missionary activity. The first French edition, the folded map and the illustrations enhance its value for collectors of travel, colonial America and the history of Jesuit missions. MARKET VALUE Indicative market value: €1,400–1,600, noting that the presence of the folded map, the plates and the three volumes still make the whole appealing. PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION AND CONDITION Uniform bindings in casebound boards, with spine titles; signs of use. With folded map and engraved plates. Maps with moisture staining and light physiological browning. In old books with multi-century histories, some imperfections may be present, not always noted in the description. This listing contains AI Visuals. Please refer to the original photographs to verify the actual condition of the item. The images are an integral part of the description. Pp. XVIII, [12], 388, [4]; [2], 334, [6]; [2], 332, [4]. Overall 1,102 pages in three volumes, with 2 plates bound out of text and a large folded map. FULL TITLE AND AUTHOR Histoire naturelle, civile et géographique de l’Orénoque, et des principales rivières qui s’y jettent. Avignon, et se vende à Marseille, chez Jean Mossy, 1758. Joseph Gumilla. CONTEXT AND SIGNIFICANCE The work offers an extensive account of the Orinoco basin, observed from the perspective of a missionary who worked there for many years. The description includes the territory and its waterways, the indigenous populations, the natural resources and medicinal practices, alongside episodes of evangelizing activity. It is a significant source for the history of European explorations and missions in South America, to be read with the religious and colonial perspective of the author in mind. BRIEF BIOGRAPHY OF THE AUTHOR Joseph Gumilla (1686–1750) was a Spanish Jesuit and missionary in the Orinoco region, in the present-day areas of Colombia and Venezuela. He served as superior of the local Jesuit missions and gathered observations on the geography, nature and peoples of the region. His best-known work, El Orinoco ilustrado, appeared originally in Spanish in 1741. PRINTING HISTORY AND CIRCULATION The French translation by Marc-Antoine Eidous is based on the second Spanish edition, revised and enlarged by Gumilla, published in 1745. The French edition appeared in 1758 in three volumes and helped disseminate in Europe news about the Orinoco basin. The title page of the first volume lists Avignon and sale in Marseille at Jean Mossy. BIBLIOGRAPHY AND REFERENCES Joseph Gumilla, Histoire naturelle, civile et géographique de l’Orénoque, et des principales rivières qui s’y jettent, translated by M. Eidous, 3 vols., Avignon and Marseille, 1758.

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