Bilder Antoine-François Prévost (1697–1763) – Dom Daniel de Silva, Count of Soyo, from Dapper – Engraving (Circa 1746)

Beskrivning

This ethnographic portrait depicts Dom Daniel de Silva, the Count of Soyo, a historical figure and ruler in the Kingdom of Kongo, an area encompassing parts of modern Angola and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Count is shown in a standing posture, wearing draped garments and accompanied by armed attendants in a tropical landscape of palm trees, with other figures working in the background. This illustration documents the appearance of West African nobility and was published in the massive 18th-century French compendium, the Histoire Générale des Voyages, edited  by Abbé Prévost. The image was sourced from an earlier account by the Dutch geographer Olfert Dapper.

Antoine-François Prévost d'Exiles, known as the Abbé Prévost, was a prominent French author, novelist, and historian of the 18th century, famous for his novel Manon Lescaut. He spent years compiling and editing the encyclopedic Histoire Générale des Voyages (General History of Voyages). This monumental work, which synthesized travel accounts from around the world, was a major publishing success of the Enlightenment, and Prévost's editorial effort was instrumental in shaping European perceptions of distant cultures and geographies.

Artist or Maker: Antoine-François Prévost

Dimensions: Approximately 26 × 19 cm

Medium: Engraving

Date: Circa 1746

Condition Report:
This work is in good condition overall. There may be a few minor imperfections or fox or mottled marks to be expected with age. Please review the images carefully for condition details, and feel free to contact us with any questions or for a comprehensive condition report.