This frontispiece to Bruyn's accounts of his travels depicts Hercules floating in a cloud with the winged angel of Fame with her trumpet and laurel wreath. Below them sit three females, one holding a hammer and chisel representing Art, Thalia representing Comedy, and Clio representing History with a scroll showing architecture. Pyramids and ruins fill the background while cherubs practice using various measuring devices in the foreground.

Cornelius de Bruyn (1652-1726) was a Dutch artist who traveled through the Holy Land and other portions of Asia. De Bruyn had to disguise his activities because this was a repressive period during the Ottoman rule when foreigners were regarded with suspicion and the making of "graven images" was prohibited. De Bruyn avoided detection by pretending to be picnicking with two Franciscan monks who stood guard while he made his drawings. His works are particularly historically valuable because of their accuracy.

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Condition: A

Wide margins with light soiling in blank margins.